


Maybe i was boring

by TeaWWW



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Anxiety, Bisexual Male Character, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Bullying, Child Abuse, Eret and Toby Smith | Tubbo are Siblings, Fluff, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Hurt TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Older Sibling Wilbur Soot, One-Sided Attraction, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Panic Attacks, Protective Wilbur Soot, Sad TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Self-Harm, Slow Burn, Smoking, TommyInnit-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Trauma, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, Violence, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade and TommyInnit are Siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:55:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 40,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28610922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaWWW/pseuds/TeaWWW
Summary: It was late autumn, crisp cold enveloping the air. And yet Tommy sat there back against the window frame in just a light sweater and shorts, fingers red and painful from the cold, held a light Malboro white cigarette. Breathing in and out 'till only the but of the thing came to be. He threw it out and watched it fall to the damp garden floor. Looking at the time it was already 4 am. The night was quiet through and he was wide awake.-Or Tommy gets adopted into a Watson family. Learning to deal with his new environment and people in it.-More chapters soon!
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/Wilbur Soot
Comments: 230
Kudos: 1140





	1. Wednesday

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Wilbur's song.

Tommy sat on the window frame, moonlight shining and framing his face to look a little more alive than he actually was. His golden locks dull, fell on his face, skin white and clammy with dark circles beneath his tired eyes. One socked foot hanged off the edge and swung with the wind, he looked at the ground beneath him. 

It was late autumn, crisp cold enveloping the air. And yet Tommy sat there back against the window frame in just a light sweater and shorts, fingers red and painful from the cold held a light Malboro white cigarette. Breathing in and out 'till only the but of the thing came to be. He threw it out and watched it fall to the damp garden floor. Looking at the time it was already 4 am. The night was quiet through and he was wide awake.

In his room in group home was a small twin bed and an empty dresser left open. On the ground a small gray carpet with stains riddled with a couple of red bull and coca cola cans and the rest in the garbage. Lights were off and in the corner of the room was a packeted full obnoxious red backpack he got passed down from one of the "permanent homes" as they always would assure him when they left him in em to rot in. 

Tommorow was the next "home" or family, "what was it now number 9?" the teen went through his memories counting. He was to be left in.

He had to wake up bright and early tommorow, the thought sounded dreadful. Taking one last look at the cloudy sky of the city, he climbed down the window in his single room. His twiggy legs hit the ground and with one arm he closed the window. The other rubbing his face as if to rub some of the tiredness out.

Usually in group homes you would have shared rooms but because Tommy was the oldest and now proven the most permanent member of the home, so he got his very own cell to live in.

He dragged his feet along the ground walking to the bed. "It's cold." He thought out loud, talking to no one. He was always cold, no matter the thick brown blanket he wrapped himself in laying on his bed. Was it the malnutrition or the room now chilled to a freezing cold, he couldn't tell. 

In the air lingered the still faint smell of smoke, and the boy looked at the ceiling thinking of nothing in particular. Falling into a restless sleep beneath the covers.

—

It was but two days before they told him they found a new home for him. The owner of the group home was an absent woman who had a strong personality. If you could call someone a bitch in a nice way. Patricia though, did her best as she liked to remind them all when it came to guilt tripping. Did her best to maintain her single parent, 8 child, christian household. 

For all the complaining Tommy did, and all the dreadful sunday's spent in church. Never missing a mass. And praying before every sad meal which were sparse and far in-between. The group home by the name of Catholic Guardian Society wasn't the worst one he had been situated in. Having been a member of two other ones before.

The house was clean as much as it could be with 8 children. Fights and of those which were made physical were an overall anomaly. And although food was sometimes hard to come by, and the clothes on your back were never warm enough. It was a closest thing Tommy has had to a home.

The kids came and gone, few returning and going again. And here Tommy was the longest resident, who always came back. He has been in the sistem for almost 10 years now, unfortunately going in when he was only 6 years old.  
  
A memory Tommy rather not recall in this moment.

  
Patricia called him to his office, as she often worked from home. It was about two in the afternoon on a Wednesday when he opened that God forsaken door.

His foster sibling, a 9 year old boy called Peter dragged him out of his room by a premise that ms. Evans called him. Peter was a sweet short boy with angelic black curly hair. He wouldn't be in the sistem much more, he could tell. Tommy hoped he wouldn't be coming back to the home after he finds a family. With that thought in mind the worst cases were also the ones of the kids not returning, not managing to escape in time. Not having the strength or courage to find a phone, to ask for help.

Tommy had been in luck in that regard, he ran pretty fast after all. He had more than enough of practice in climbing through the windows. Although it may sound theatrical he had even learned how to pick a lock, learning from an older teen called Liam in one of the previous foster homes. One night that home was raided by cops, sufficient to say it was because of the crack lab in the basement, he never saw Liam again. Not that he died or anything, or he hoped so.

Tommy focused on the wood tiled floor showing that memory in the back of his mind. He entered the room looking to the familiar green grayish chair facing the wooden worn chipped table of the bitch. Ms. Evans was on the phone as she gestured to the seat. Tommy sat, laying back, fiddling with his interested fingers he tried to listen to Patricia's conversation.

"-yes sir he would be glad to take in. ---no that wouldn't be a problem---"

"-well of course-- Through you must know he's a bit of a problem child-- no it's just-- he has had cases of running before--"

"-- you've received the case file I sent, yes?-- that's swell!"

Nothing that Tommy hasn't heard before. The conversation he know like the back of his hand. Patricia didn't spare a detail about his previous homes, always straight to the case through it didn't better his chances.

"--the homes were not a problem no,- anyway would you be able to take him?--"

"----yes, he's here.--- Surely, here you go-"

She turned towards him with that snake like look in her eye as if saying ' _you better not fuck this up ya little shit_ '.

This has been the first call he had in about a month. Well, not the first call, but the first one actually willing to take him in after seeing the file. That is if this phone call was anything to go by.

"Ello mate!" Voice came from the phone, accent strong.

"Hello sir." Honestly Tommy has already given up on the whole getting adopted bit. He had been through so many homes and seen so much shit he couldn't muster a fake smile at the idea of another home even if you payed him (well depends on how much, he'd do it for a cig). Anyway he'd be back in a matter of months, the most he has lasted was 2 years and it didn't end pretty.

"This is Phil Watson speaking i heard you may be interested in moving in with the Watson family!" The man on the phone, Phil as he introduced himself, sounded welcoming enough.

"Well you called so-" if looks could kill, Tommy would already be 6 feet below the ground level. 

Tommy chuckled and and flipped his foster parent off.

"You're right haha! Well they told me your name is Tommy, do you want me to call you Thomas or Tommy?"

"Tommy is fine mr. Watson" Tommy spined I'm his chair looking mildly bored.

"What a polite mate you are, but Phil is fine. So how are you doing Tommy, your foster mom said we could talk for a while, so i thought i should ask."

"Yea that cunt is not my mom through" he laughed some more. That's when he earned a kick in the foot and an angry stare by the said woman.

"I'm doing fine through, watching her face turn red as a pepper and smoke coming from her ears." Tommy finished and saw Patricia circling him like a shark.

Laughter came from the other line he remembered where he was. "And how are you, say Phil?"

"Well I'm doing pretty well, just ate lunch with my two sons" 

"You have sons?" Tommy didn't like this, he had met some rough assholes, fucking bullies who tormented him whole 6 months in his second home. Just because he was smaller and weaker than them. 

Not this time through he's had his fair share of fights, be it with his peers or with the emotionally unstable sorry excuses for adults. How many of those has he won, he won't say but he gotten out alive through all of them.

"Yeh, Wilbur is 18, and Dave, he likes to be called Technoblade, is 19. Em' both from the foster system too!" 

' _Damn both older too_ ' Tommy thought bitterly. "Thats-" at a lost for words he stuttered "-interesting." 

Phil stopped talking for just a few seconds, thinking, although it seemed like an eternity to the teen. And he continued.

"So Tommy why don't you tell me about yourself!"

Tommy hunched forward in his chair like he did often, crap house line phone in between his head and shoulder. He fiddled with his fingers, flipping a loose thread on his worn gray blue hoodie.  
"Haven't they sent you my file?" He asked a little more quiet than he talked before.

"Well all it said was some bullshit a stranger wrote about you." Phil said with a little more resentment than he meant to. "Oh woops, didn't mean to swear sorry"

Tommy kept his head down but smiled a little "No problem big man"

"So? About you?" Phil reminded

Tommy stopped for a bit, thinking. "Well, my name is Thomas but i prefer Tommy" only his mother called him Thomas "I'm 16 and..." 

What more was to say about him, nothing? Nothing he'd like to share at least 

"I'm very tall, very very tall, like a big big man" he explained, the humour was a way to go when you wanted to avert the conversation. Or Tommy's way to change the topic at least.

"Well that's good to hear, another tall lad in the Watson family haha" 

For all his joking, he was actually not that tall. It wasn't that he was particularly short, he was actually a little taller than average. He reckons he'd be taller if he was given, or consumed, food regularly, maybe he'd be the hight he was meant to be. Towering over the weak and undeserving.

"Oh are you tall yourself sir?" He asked politely.

"Not particularly i wouldn't say, but my son's, especially Wilbur, one lanky tall fella" there was some shuffling on his end and then.

"Daaaad ya fucking dick" said another voice, distant from Phil's. 

Tommy sat in silence listening. Than absolutely dying at the sound of that whine. He bent over in laughter, trying to shuffle it but still a sound escaped.

"HAGAHAHAGAHAHA WHAT THE **FUCK** WAS THAT-" he gave up trying to be quiet. He heard Phil laughing as well.

"Are you fuckin' laughing at me? You gremlin child?!" The voice took the phone from Phil presumedly, now sounding closer and clearer. At this point Tommy could not take a full breath from the laughing fit. 

It was stopped by a sharp pain in his ribs, bent over and clutching his sides Tommy's laughter became coughing. The phone previously in-between his ear and shoulder fell to the ground with a soft thud.

Tommy clenched a hand to his chest as he tried to calm his coughing. Patricia put a hand on his back and rubbed it gently. She could be a bitch yes, but she's not a monster. He felt the beat of his heart in his ears, and a weird flutter or a skip in the beat and it made his chest hurt even more. He tried to calm down his breathing as Patricia picked up the phone from the ground.

The other line seemingly silent was actually loud and chattering. A wave of hello's, can you hear me's and are you okays's emerged. Patricia took the phone to her ear and answered.

"-yeah--no, he's okay-- no he's not sick, just some old bruises-- the little devil you know children--" 

Tommy calmed down a little. ' _Yeah I gave myself bruised ribs, you know fucking children! Definitely wasn't the fucking family 8, crazy mother fuckers they were'_ He cast swear words in his head, wanting to scream out at his foster parent, but couldn't due to his coughing fit leaving him with a sore throat.

"---it is late-"

Tommy looked at the office clock now nearing 4 pm. _'Has it already been two hours'_. He rubbed his eyes trying to straighten a little, a feeling of sharp pain became again aware and he remembered why he was hunched over in the first place. Tuning in the conversation once more.

"-what do you think--will you be able to take him?"

A dreadful pause.

"--wonderful! --- what time?" She scribbled something on a piece of paper on her desk. A wide smile blooming in her dull lips. "-uhuh" she nodded as if they were right there, writing it down. 

"-- excellent mr. Watson, see you Friday!-"  
And then she hung up the phone.

"They said they were willing to take you in their home-" She said, ecstatic.

"-and where would that be exactly?" Tommy interrupted.

She frowned at that but still answered "it's a city about three or four hours of car ride from here, mr. Watson will come pick you up around 11 am on a Friday." She was reading from the note which was now in here hands.

_'shit four hours from here? It's gonna be tight if I have to flee'_

"Alright." Tommy said "am i allowed to leave now?" He asked monotonous.

"Yes of course honey get some rest!" She ushered him out of her office. Ms. Evans would always turn to sweet talking and nicknames such as darling, sweetheart and the rest after finding another "home" for Tommy. But did it turn sour when he came back, every time.

He shuffled around in his room, reading some book he couldn't bother to remember the name of. Hours seemed to pass as he now lay in his bed, thinking of packing. But ending up dosing off in the middle of the thought. He didn't sleep a wink last night after all.


	2. Thursday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the amazing support and comments, they make my day! I'm so glad you guys like my fic, it makes want to write the story and develop the plot! 🥺🥰❤️

It was the last day before being shipped off to god knows where. Tommy woke up actually feeling a little less tired than usual, for his shitty sleep scuedule he had no one to blame for but himself.

To god knows where usually meant some hole in the wall apartment or a run down house. Some were better of course, you can't judge a book by its covers they would say, well sometimes you can, and sometimes you can't.

He's been in homes that truly looked like the bottom of the bottom, but still had nice enough people in em'. On the other side there were few with a saviour complex, living in upper middle class family for example. Most of the times he got few clothes and gadgets on his name, along with bruises and beatings when they finally realised they can't just 'fix' someone. Getting frustrated and throwing him out.

He's seen people like Phil, all nice and dandy on the phone, out in the daylight but as soon as he would enter the house...

It's true what they say, you never know what's going on behind closed doors.

Thursday, right. Tommy blinked few times and reminded himself what he needed to do. It was 6:30 am, he had woken up but a half hour before. Now in normal clothes, with brushed teeth he headed to the kitchen. Opening up the fridge he found two questioningly old bell peppers some butter and a box of leftover pizza from who knows when. 

_'This wouldn't be enough for breakfast'_ he thought. 

He turned on his heel and headed for Patricia's office. She was already up and working on her age old computer. A cup of instant coffee in her hand. 

"What do you need honey?" She asked, eyes focused on the screen. Still using the nicknames, meaning she was still in good spirits from the day before. 

_'Its a good sign'_

Tommy turned his head out the window, looking into a early morning sky. "I was wondering if I could help and get the groceries for breakfast before the others wake up." 

"How much do you think you need darling?" She finally looked up at him. As an adult of this house she should already know, but then again it's not like she makes the meals most of the nights. 

It was Tommy's last day for a few weeks or months in this house so he wanted to make the kids a few meals before he went and gone. Who knows how many of them is he gonna see again. 

"I was thinking about 30 pounds for breakfast and lunch, it is my last day, hopefully!" He said with a chuckle trying to sound convincing. 

She eyed him suspiciously. "I would make it, after all!" He added.

"Well..." She reached for her purse. "You do cook well i must give you that." She started taking out her wallet "if you promise to buy only what it's necessary i will trust you" she took out the two bills of 20 each out of the wallet. "And if I smell smoke on you, you are done for. Got it Thomas? I'm not dumb." 

"Yes miss." He replied as he took the 40 pounds from Patricia's hand. He took his red backpack, stuffing it in the inner pocket. He slid on his trifted black jacket and put on his worn pair of off brand of converse. As he stepped out of the house he sang an unknown tune he headed for the cheap K-plus store at he end of the street. A bounce in his step almost unnoticeable in the public eye.

There were mornings where time seemed to stop for Tommy. Where the biting cold air of the early autumn morning didn't seem so uninviting. Where the dull orange and blue tones of the rising morning sky didn't seem so distant. He could appreciate the small things. The way the sun hit the water on the morning grass along the cement path. The way the clouds lingered in the same place a little longer than they usually did. The peace of the neighbourhood he didn't know he wasn't gonna see again. 

It was now 6:52 am. And he was entering the local grocery store. A few parton's inside. The lady working the register, her co-worker stacking the crackers on the high shelf and a middle aged man getting black coffee and the sandwich from the freezer. The teen stepped over to the said freezer, looking at the products. Soon he was heading to the next aisle, and then to the register. Paying for milk, cheese, some cheap salami, loaf of fresh bread and a few other things. 

The teen stepped out in the cold, adjusting the hood over his head and pulling the jacket so it was over his fingers, which were turning red and icy. He could see his breath in the air, making white clouds disperse in front of his face. He headed to the next stop, taking the five quid left over from the grocery store and a little bit of his own money he headed to the tabacco shop that was a little further then the grocery. 

Tommy picked up the malboro white from the shop that never asked for the ID. He took one in his lips and tried to light it. Lighter not doing the job it was supposed to. 

"come on- light up- goddamnit work FUCK-" he shook the lighter, it was probably because of the cold wether the cheap lighter broke.

But with a little bit of brute force it light up. "Fucking finally" Tommy muttered and inhaled. The smoke biting his throat. Filling his lungs with gray silky smoke, which leaving his mouth left as if dark clouds in the sky. 

The teen frowned at the flavour, his favorite were the red's but these were cheeper. He started walking the path to the house, liking the way the cigarette hit first thing in the morning. His head seaming just a little lighter and his vision but a little clearer. The bite in his throat, and nausea that would surely follow afterwards bing forgotten all for this one hit. 

Tommy knew smoking wasn't good for him, but he honestly couldn't give a shit for his well being over a cigarette, he could stop when he wanted or needed, as he had needed before due to the fuckers being so damn expensive. It was more of a routine at this point, kind of a safe space, something familiar.

He had picked up smoking in one of the homes around two years before, doing it on and off ever since. It made sense when the cigarette was lit, the world seemed to stop for a second and he could enjoy something he liked for a moment. He couldn't se what's so bad about it, people were dependent on every day things, those drinking coffee in gallons. Those people eating their fourth bar of chocolate in the day, those drowning their worries in alcohol, dependent. 

Tommy came to the doorstep of the home, throwing the butt of the smoke on the road and stepping it out. He placed the packet in his pants pocket. Patricia never found them but she could smell the smoke on him. He entered the home, unwillingly taking off his jacket, inside being just a little warmer than the outside. Heating still turning on. 

He headed the kitchen. The rest of the children just getting up and ready for school. He began cooking breakfast, knowing they will be hungry not having eaten dinner last night. He cracked 7 eggs, took out the suspicious bell peppers out of the fridge and started making an omelet. One by one the kids started to descend down the stairs and onto the kitchen table. 

Tommy was done as they all say down to eat. He started making a coffee for himself. His cup in hand he watched them eat. 

Lily, a 12 year old, feisty girl with hazel hair, turned her head towards him "Yer not gonna eat tommy?" She asked stuffing her face full of bread and omlet. 

"Nah, I'm not really that hungry" which wasn't a lie per se, he could feel his stomach churning and growling but he just wasn't hungry.

It wasn't that he couldn't cook and the food was disgusting, quite the opposite actually, by his standards after all. He'd give himself a pat on the back for today's breakfast. It's just that the thought of food this early in the morning made him sick.

Tommy sipped on his coffee and watched them finish breakfast and head to school. He gone and went doing the dishes, Lily joining him. 

"Don't you have class?" Tommy asked her annoyed at the little space at the sink. 

"Don't you?" She snarked back at him. 

"I don't actually!" He exclaimed pushing her a little with his hip. 

"Oh" she said quietly, she knew what that meant. You see a day before an adoption kids were given a day to pack and for adults to sort out paperwork, so they didn't need to attend school that day. 

"Oh come on Lily it's not like I'm not gonna come back." He chuckled a little washing off the soap from the plate. "I always do." A little frown. 

He shook his head and dried his hands off. His hand shuffled Lily's hair "Well, come on, go to boring school! I'm just gonna be here sleeping and watching TV all day" he said in a mocking tone. 

Lily swatted his hand away and picked up her backpack by the door. She was the last one still not gone. As she opened the door she paused, looking back on Tommy who got back to doing the dishes. 

Tommy felt a weight on his back, turning around he saw lilly hugging him. He was never the one for affections. But he dried his hands and peeled Lily off his waist. "I'm sorry-" she started. 

Tommy crouched, Lily was 12 but she was also smaller than other people her age. He hugged her properly a hand in her hair. "I'm going to be back Lily don't worry." 

She hugged him around his neck "Tommy..." 

"You have my number if anything goes wrong right? I'll come flying." 

"That was so cheesy you dick." She chuckled and let go. 

"Okay okay, go to school now. Be chaotic do crime you little shit'." He ushered her out the front door. 

–

Tommy finished cleaning up he had some time to spare before making lunch. But he didn't wanna pack yet it's too early and he was lazy. 

He took to walking around house for a bit, bored. He walked past the run down off tune piano in the basement. Looking at it for a bit, then passing to get back upstairs. He reckoned he could use a shower now that he had nothing better to do. 

It would take a minute for water to heat so he went to turn on the telly. Nothing special was playing, some boring documentary about ant eaters,

_'Man they are nasty looking aren't they'_ Tommy thought but continued watching it. After some time he turned it off and went to the bathroom. On his way there he grabbed another clean set of clothes and a towel. 

The bathroom wasn't small overall, but it was too small for a household of 9. White and beige tiles some dirty and some broken. There's a light gray bathroom floor, the tiles of it a tone darker beige than the walls. On the sink there were 8 tooth brushes. 

Tommy turned off the water heater and started to take his clothes off, setting them on the floor in the corner of the bathroom. His feet left the semi warm carpet as he stepped into the cold bath, which was one with the wall around it. He turned on the water and shivered at the temperature of the first few drops. Washing his hair and rinsing he was out of the bath again. 

Warm water never ran long in this house. Using the faded peach colored towel he dried off. He noticed his reflection in the big mirror that covered most of the wall the sink was on. 

He looked to his chest. Two big purple and yellowing bruises looked back at him. One on either side of his ribs, one higher than another. He turned around and saw his back had a patch of scar skin, a shade lighter than the rest. It was in shape of a zero. He had been thrown on the floor and the friction damaged the first layer of his skin, leaving him with a discoloration. His whole body had little scars and scrapes along with a few lingering bruises. He looked down to his pale thin thighs. 

There were a few white and light pink raised skin lines, some bigger than others. Those which were crossing lines with fresher ones were a darker pink color. He ran a finger over the freshest patch of lines. Three weeks old he would say was his last relapse. 

The towel fell from his hair and onto the floor, he picked it up and put it around his waist. Which wasn't a smooth white patch of skin either. More so it had dozens of white, pink, and brown lines. Some raised, others almost invisible. He could feel the bumps beneath his fingers.

' _soft but ugly_ ' he thought. 

He pulled the towel higher on his waistline and went to search for his razor, needing to shave. It's not like he had much of a beard it's just that it was patchy and weird looking. When he was done he was reminded of how shitty he was at shaving, or how shitty of a razor he had. Not remembering when he last changed the blade of the thing. 

He was left with a little redder looking neck and jaw. He splashed a little water on his face, rubbing at his eyes once again.

'god _i look like shit_ ' he thought, palms leaning on the sink, face closer to the mirror. 

Tommy picked up the brush to untangle his hair. He moved his hair to the back, on the left side of his forehead, recessing into the hairline there was an almost unnoticeable, white scar that had no hair growing on it. It would probably be more noticable if he had darker hair, but he didn't. It was from family number 3. 

He traced his finger over it ' _almost lost my eye that time_ ' he remembered. 

It was the time his Foster parent or "dad" had a few friends over and they were watching the game. And Tommy sat a little too close to the said man when their team lost the game and bottles started flying. He was only nine at the time. 

' _a fucking good for nothing bastard with a gambling addiction he was'_

Tommy clothed himself and went out of the bathroom. 

—

It was about 16:30 right now. Tommy had taken a nap after his shower with an alarm set. The others were about to start coming home soon. As he remembered that fact he got up to make some dinner.

With the ingredients he bought that morning he started making carbonara. He put the water on the stove to heat up, in the meantime he went to wash the head of salad in the sink. 

An hour passed and all of the children were now home. And dinner was served. By that time Tommy had cooked everything he was actually kind of hungry. Even Patricia came down to eat. Tommy shooed everyone to wash their hands and come sit at the table. 

"Hello children, Tommy" she said in a tired voice. 

"Hello ms. Evans" children said in unison. 

"Let us all pray before this wonderful meal" Patricia said and closed her eyes, putting her hands together she started saying the prayer. Tommy rolled his eyes but followed to do the same as well. 

After the dinner was done and plates were licked clean Patricia put some of the other children in charge of dish washing. She turned to Tommy, putting her hand on his shoulder. 

"A word Tommy?" Tommy cringed from the touch, taking a step back. 

She sighed rubbing a bridge between her eyes. "We talked about this disrespect Tommy, this is why they keep sending you back." 

Tommy snapped at that "they keep sending me back because of _ME_?!" 

Patricia's face turned into a scowl. Her hands crossed against her chest. "Do not raise your tone at me young man." She said shouting also. 

"I KEEP COMING BACK BECAUSE OF ALL THE SHIT HOMES _YOU_ KEEP PUTTING ME INTO!" Tommy was getting red in the face. 

"Stop swearing! It is inappropriate and i will not permit it under this household" 

"EVERY TIME I GET BACK EVEN MORE BRUISED, IM JUST A _FUCKING PUNCHING BAG_ FOR THOSE PEOPLE. HOW CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT." He said making frantic hand gestures. 

"Stop being dramatic Tommy, you will listen to me now quiet down." She shouted, words full of rage also.

"YOU'RE the problem child here, THAT'S why they keep sending you back" she pointed a finger to his chest poking it hard. 

Tommy then came to a realisation that this bitch never listened and never will. So he got all up in her face, swatting the proding finger away from his chest.

" _Shove it up yer' fucking ass Patricia_ " voice deadly quiet. 

A second, 

Then, a slap. "Go to your room Thomas." Patricia said rubbing her hand against her skirt, as if she had just touched something dirty. 

Tommy's eyes were watering as he held his now reddening cheek in his hand. A blood emerging from a scratch of Patricia's fingernails. 

"YER A FUCKING BITCH PATRICIA" He shouted as he slammed the door of his room closed, his back against it. He slid down to the floor. A tear slid down his cheek which was red and burning, the scratch stinging at the salty water. 

Tommy wasn't crying because his cheek hurt. He wasn't crying because he was sad. He was crying out of the frustration of the situation.

It felt like someone lit a fire in his chest and it was trying to get out, pulling. The anger had no outlet but the tears which were welling up in Tommy's eyes faster and faster. It was like he was a kid having a tantrum over something stupid. He knew how Patricia was, he knew she would never change. But it still left him frustrated, the pulling in his chest not stopping. 

So he cried. Trying to cry the feeling out of him. Tears turned into sobbs, sobbing turned into silent screaming, pushing the air in his lungs faster than he was coming in. His breathing was quick and uneven. He pulled the hands from his mouth and put them to his head, covering his ears and pulling his hair. 

Tommy was rocking back and forth, a little ball on the floor of his bedroom. After some time he tried to regain his breathing. 

'inhale - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7' a shaky intake of air.

'hold - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7' 

A wet sob escaped him. 

'exhale - 1,2,3,4,5,6,7' 

He did this until he was able to finally breathe in a somewhat normal pattern. By the time he did that the sun was already beginning to set, golden rays coming from the window casting dark shadows behind them. 

Tommy got up, feet shaking, feeling sick. He rushed to the bathroom, emptying the carbonara into the toilet. His stomach was doing flips, and not in a good way. He washed his face, cheek now still red, through he wasn't sure if it was because of the hit or of crying. He reckoned the second one. 

' _Patricia has always had a shit punch_ ' 

Only a red scratch was left seen on his now cried raw cheeks. He headed to his room, house quiet. 

Tommy opened the window and took the packet of Malboros out of the red backpack. Lighting one he hunched forward, elbows resting on the window frame. He looked up to the orange sky, bright yellow shine emerging out behind the clouds, looking like a ripple in reality.

The cold felt good on his cheeks. As he took the drag from the cig smoke filling his lungs felt confronting. 

' _ah shit i still have to pack'_ He thought face turning sour. 

He sat in silence for a while just watching the smoke dance in-between his fingers. After he smoked that one he took his phone, turning on youtube he put on some random playlist to fill the silence. Now, his phone was old, and crappy, and slow, but it still worked! 

He lit another one, the brown tabacco turning black and white as it burned. Tommy began to pack his shit. Knowing all he left behind would be frown, or given away. 

He didn't have so much to pack luckily, he owned two pairs of pants, one pair of shorts, three old hoodies which of some had holes from being worn frequently. Besides that a couple of shirts, socks and undergarments. It filled almost the entire backpack. But it still had some breathing room for a couple more things.

At the bottom of the bag he stuffed the phone charger, a book he was reading at the time, in which he hid the money he saved up or found scattered around the houses. It was all he had if things were to go south. Two or three lighters, a toothbrush and deodorant. 

School books he couldn't be bothered to bring, they would most likely supply him with new ones at the other school, but what he did grab were a few notebooks that still had valuable information on his subjects. He stuffed it all in along with his pencil case, which was mostly empty anyway. 

An old scarf he left on his desk, one of the other kids would need it more than him, he thought. Now that he actually found and packed all the stuff he needed it was already pitch black outside. And Tommy wasn't tired anymore, anxiety troubling his head. With shaky fingers he lit another one thinking of tomorrow and the new family. He sat on the window one foot hanging out, back against the frame.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter coming soon!


	3. Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And they took the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll to upload a chapter a day while the school is still on a holiday and i still have some time to think.

It was Friday morning. Birds were chirping and the sun wasn't shining a warm colour. The rays that came from the window mimicked those of a bright white school light every kid despised. Tommy was still bundled into his brown itchy blanket. A quick look to his phone and he saw that in was 8am. 

' _4 hours of sleep ain't that bad_ ' Tom rubbed his eyes and yawned, not wanting to get up and start the day.

He scrolled through his phone for a little bit, until he finally got up at 9. He put on his black hoodie and blue jeans. Hair a curly mess, he had left it to dry on its own yesterday, the curls were his own fault. He tried to flatten it a bit with a brush, giving up after a few moments. He then brushed his teeth, putting the toothbrush back in the backpack after, going downstairs. All of the other kids have already left for school. Patricia was back in her office, house quiet. He went to making himself a cup of tea, he didn't think he could stomach a coffee after frowing up last night's dinner. 

Tommy opened the cabinet, standing on the tips of his toes trying to reach the tea box. It had been a present from Sally's new mom and dad, they sent it as a present after they officially adopted her. The couple seemed nice enough in their late 30s early 40s. He heard she was now living in an apartment in the city somewhere near the coast. 

The tea was black, a vanilla scent. He put the water on the stove popping the bag in, he counted the minutes it took for it to be ready.

Soft churning of the boiling water was interrupted by a door closing and the sound of footsteps heading down the stairs. ' _Oh great the bitch is here_ ' Tommy thought as Patricia entered the room. Her black hair down in a low bun, gray scarf covered the cross that was around her neck, she wore a dark green cardigan and some loose black pants along with the same colored shirt. 

Patricia was in her 50s or the teen thought, he had never had the reason to ask and confirm his theories. The bitch spotted Tommy in the kitchen, looking startled for a second. As if she had forgotten he still lived in this house.

"Oh Tommy, good morning, i was just about to go and wake you up."

He stayed quiet, still a little hurt from the fight last night. "..." He moved his hands to turn off the stove, taking a mug from the counter pouring the tea in, stopping when the cup was half full.

"You do remember what day today is right?" Patricia said with a smile.

Tommy took the milk from the fridge, filling the other half of the mug with milk. Reaching for the sugar on the shelf behind Patricia.

She put her hand up before he could pass her, blocking his path. "You do remember?" 

Tommy moved her hand and took the sugar over her. "Is it the day the pigs start flying?" He said comically. Patricia just gave him ' _the look_ '.

He put two teaspoons in his tea and mixed. "When's the guy coming?" He tried the second time.

Patricia looked at the watch on her hand and said "well it's 10 now so in about an hour or so, more less"

Tommy sipped on his tea going over to the sofa, turning on the telly, switching channels. "You better be on your best behavior with this one. Phil is a nice man from what I could tell." She wondered mostly talking to herself.

Half listening Tommy answered "sure"

' _god she's annoying_ '

"When he comes call me, I'll see you out"  
She said already walking back up the stairs.

Tommy nodded absently. On the telly there was some cartoon playing, not really paying attention on it Tommy watched and zoned out.

He was woken up from his trance by a knock on the door. Mug empty on the coffee table. Putting on the block hood of his hoodie hiding his messy hair, he looked t the wall clock. ' _11:03? Has the hour already passed_?' Tommy walked to the door opening it.

In front of the door stood a blond man. Taller than Tommy himself, he wore a dark brown thick winter jacket, blue denim jeans and a green sweater. His face was pale, his eyes sunken and a little darker than the rest of his face, never the less he had kind eyes and a welcoming smile. 

They watched each other for a moment and then Phil offered him his hand, inviting him to shake it. "Hi kiddo I'm Phil, er' Tommy innit?"

He took his hand shaking it. "Yes man it's me, we talked on the phone" he said enthusiastically, putting on his happy face. Trying to get on the man's good side.

"Don't take it the wrong way but I'd think you'd be a lil taller after all that talk mate"

"I could say the same sir." He scratched his neck, laughing.

"Oh is that so haha, well my Will won't disappoint you!" He was talking about one of his sons if Tommy remembered right.

"Right, wel' let me just get the woman, you're welcome to come inside"

Tommy went upstairs knocking on Patricia's door. "He's here" Tommy called opening the door.

They headed back to the man, Tommy picking up his backpack on the way downstairs. Taking what he didn't know was one last look of his bedroom in the home. He came downstairs a minute after the female figure.

Patricia was standing beside the man, chatting. He went down the stairs slowly stopping the the bottom both figures looking at him.

"Ya ready son? We have about 3 hours of road ahead of us, if we make good time."

"Yeah I'm ready." Tommy said looking at his shoelaces. Backpack heavy on his back he headed to the front door.

"Be well Tommy" said patricia hands behind her back.

He looked at her "Tell Lily i left her a scarf in my room, she'll be happy to have it" 

"Of course, now off you go!"

The pair walked to Phil's car parked in front of the house. Tommy was never really into cars but he recognised Phil's car as being a Mazda. "Wanna sit in front or back?" The said man asked

"Back" Tommy answered shortly.

Phila opened the trunk and Tommy put his red bag in it "That's all you have?"

"It seems like it is, don't you think so?." He said getting in he car.

"It does" Phil said, searching for words. 

Phill got in the driver's seat and turned on the heating, pulling out of the driveway. Tommy never really liked long car rides, most of the cars he was in were old and always shaking, and with the stuffy air mixed in, the whole situation made him more than a little sick. 

His head rested in his hand which was leaned on the car window. Head facing it and looking outside.

"You want to listen to the radio?" The blond man asked.

"Yeah sure dude" 

'That's what i like' from Bruno Mars started playing "~jump in the Cadillac"

"Can we not actually, i fucking hate that song" A groan escaped the teen.

"You do? Well i have but one job to do now" Phill turned the radio louder, singing along with it "~that's what i like'" 

Tommy dramatically put two hands on his ears, doing a bit "noooo man why me?"

Phil laughed harder skipping the station "no, I'm not that evil kid don't worry" catching in the mirror reflection he saw Tommy's sour face looking back at him. Laughing even more.

' _hilarious bitch_ ' Tommy thought in his head at the laughing man, but he couldn't suppressing a small smile on his lips.

They rode in silence and Tommy found himself dozing off, a soft smell of vanilla came from the man, and the car was now warm and cozy. And he was sleeping deeper into the comfort of his hoodie. But a few minutes after he was softly snoring in the back seat.

—

"-y, -mmy, –Tommy!"

He was woken up by shaking and someone calling his name. He couldn't help but flinch from the hand on his shoulder, taking a sharp intake of air, panicked. 

"Hey hey it's just me, it's Phil" the said man told him as he took a step back, opening up the space by the car door.

"Oh, sorry" he said putting a hand on his heart, trying to calm himself. "Where are we?"

"Well I didn't want to wake you but I had to fill up the car, and we're making good time so i thought we could stretch our legs and get something to eat at the pump cafe."

"Stopping already? What time is it big man?" Tommy said stretching and unbuckling his seatbelt. Everything still seemed fuzzy and the cold of the air didn't seem so inviting anymore.

"It's about one o'clock Toms" he locked the car when Tommy got out.

As of getting out Tommy immediately put a hand on the hood of the silver car, going quiet for a moment, his other hand going to his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Phil said unsure of how to act, given how startled the boy was at the initial touch. "Do you need to sit down?"

"It's alright, it's just my blood pressure acting up again. I just need a moment" he was in fact not sure if he was alright, he just knew that his vision became black when he stood up. Tommy blinked his eyes a few times until it became clearer. Then he pulled on his jacket higher around his neck, shuffling for warmth. "Let's go"

The two figures headed to cafe. Tommy's converse rip-offs stepped in the shallow puddle on the gas station parking lot.   
' _great, wet fucking socks, just my luck_ '

  
Ground was left wet from the passing gray cloud and the air smelled of rain. He looked around him, not catching any distinctive landmarks, he was presumedly in the middle of nowhere. The wind was a little more chilly than it was in town before and he was shivering slightly by the time they made it to the shops' door.

"It's pretty cold out ain't it big man?"  
Tommy huffed.

"Autumn's a little more cold this year it seems." Phil said walking to the counter. "You hungry?"

"No not really" Tommy said, but against his protests his stomach grumbled. "Maybe a little" he said getting embarrassed.

"Well choose what you want money's not a problem" Phil looked at the treats placed behind the counter glass, picking a chocolate croissant for himself.

"A bagel maybe?" He said, looking at the ridiculous prices.

"You drink coffee kiddo or would you want a juce or something"

"Coffee's fine" he said absent mended.

"What kind?"

"Oh you know the kind with the little coffee beans. Coffee's coffee my friend" He smiled at the older man.

They got their bit, and sat to eat and drink their beverages and warming up from the cold (or was Tommy the only one effected by the temperature)

"So what do you think about going to live with my family, i assume this is not your first foster family."

Tommy had just taken a huge bite of his bagel, almost choking at the question. "Yeh it's whatever i guess, every home's been pretty much the same." 

"Have you ever had brothers before?" Phil said sipping on his americano.

Tommy paused "I did."

"Well i think you're gonna like Techno and Wilbur. It can take a little while for them to warm up to you but I'm sure you'll all get along." Phil hummed.

"Sounds swell" Tommy said tone monotonous. "So what made you adopt a kid from 3 towns over?" He asked curious.

"Well i got a phone call, and they explained to me your..." He stopped trying to find the right words.

"–troubling situation of the past home and i thought I'd just try and help."

"I do just fine by mi' self thank you" Tommy said semi offended. He took another big bite of the bagel.

Phil looked at him "I thought our family could be a little bigger, that's all." He smiled softly. 

The teen stayed quiet chomping down the rest of his meal and beverage.

  
After they finished their meals they headed back to the car. Continuing their journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if some sentences in this sounded weird i struggle with dysgraphia and making sensible sentences. All of you have been a great support thank you for your help! 💕


	4. 'ome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I study arhitecture and one of my favorite subjects is interior design, so sorry if I went a little overboard with the descriptions in this chapter!

The rest of the car journey was spent in a comfortable silence. Aside from a quiet humming from Tommy on some particular songs playing on the radio that is. Tommy didn't fall asleep again, which didn't mean he wasn't tired, long car rides are tiring for everyone.

Eventually he saw that they were coming off the highway and entering the town. He noticed that it was bigger that the one his foster home was situated in. 

They passed a few shops and Cafe's, Tommy's eyes stopping on a triangular park in between the building complexes. The streets which resembled a maze, turning left and right, all seemed pretty much the same, he couldn't remember if he saw a bus stop in the car ride to the house but he was pretty sure he was supposed to see some kind of public transport. 

They continued driving for 10 or so more minutes before they came to the suburban neighborhood where the houses weren't glued together to each other, and he could see much more greenery, or what was greenery, it was all now in orange and yellow autumn shades. He would say the street was a block or two from one of the main ones.

They pulled into a driveway of the house he presumed was his new 'ome.

"We're here" Phil called and got out of the car.

Tommy stepped out as well, stretching and listening to his back pop. In his head he heard a low buzzing, he felt as if it was stuffed with cotton balls. He took his red backpack from the trunk and looked at the house.

It was an old style red brick, two story building. He noticed there were ivy branches climbing up to the side of the home. There were 4 sets of windows on the front side of the house which made it look even bigger that it already was. No lights were on when they walked to the entrance of the home. Phil took out his keys and unlocked the black door.

' _upper middle class_ ' Tommy thought.

They entered the hallway of the home. Tommy took off his shoes and took in the interior. First thing he saw was a long hallway which at its end had a stairway to the second floor. The walls were colored a warm beige, and the floor was made of wide wooden planks a darker, richer color than he was used to seeing. ' _This place looks nice_ '

"You can put your shoes here" Phil pointed to the simple shoe cabinet left of them besides the door, few metal hangers were on the wall above it. The older man already taken off his jacket and put it on one of the hangers explained.

"Follow me, let me show you around the house" Tommy listened and followed the man, leaving his own jacket and shoes at their resigned place. They went to walking through the hallway, a few pictures and a head hight mirror were hanged on the walls. They came to the openings one on either side of the hallway. 

Phil pointed to one of the openings. "So on the right is the living room and second to it is the downstairs bathroom" they stepped inside. Tommy looked to it, it was the same warm beige colour, it had high ceilings which had wooden accents, pattern resembling a drying rack.

His wet, socked feet entered the room, stepping on the light coloured carpet which covered most of the floor. 

Facing the wall opposite him, Tommy saw two symmetrical big dark wood book shelves built into the wall going from the floor all the way to the ceiling. In between them was a piece of wall with the telly on it. Looking to his side he saw the far right wall with the window which was looking out to front of the house, it had a few green plants on it. 

And on the left of the space, was the door to the bathroom. At the left wall, beside the bathroom door stood a small wooden piano, glued to the wall. In the center of the room was a short coffee table, and facing it, the wall opposite the telly was a long blue beige stripped sofa, back facing the wall also. To the left and the right of the coffee table were two armchairs of the same set, soft looking pillows resting on top of them. It all gave off a very earthy vibe, it seemed very cozy also.

Phil pointed at the opening on the other side of the hallway "here's the kitchen and the dining table, behind which is the entrance to the yard."

"Got it" Tommy said inspecting his surroundings further. 

"Do you wanna go see your room."  
Phil said already climbing the wooden stairs at the end of the hallway. Tommy followed him close behind.

Another long hallway was on the second floor, the only difference being that this one was a little wider. At the end of it was a small window facing the front of the house. Phil pointed to his right "This is the second floor bathroom, the door next to it is my bedroom" 

Tommy nodded looking at the clean white doors. Phil continued, and pointed to his left.

"The farthest door is Techno's room, the one left to it is Will's and this" he knocked to the door closest to the stairs "will be your room!"

Phil opened the said door stepping in. Floor was made of the same wood as the rest of the house's, but the walls were a clean white instead of the beige. The room was bigger than his previous one. Being placed at the corner of the house it had two windows facing different ways. One was looking to the side, to the other house. And the second was looking to the back yard. 

On their left was a twin bed pressed to the wall of the window facing the back yard. Beside it, right by the door, a night cabinet. The wall opposite the door had a long work table glued to the wall with the window facing the other house. On the right side was a tall wooden closet. And on the floor was round fuzzy blue carpet. The whole room in light blue tones, the curtains matching the theme.

"It was a guest room before we made a few adjustments for you but we can re-decorate it if you want."

"It looks poggers friend" he said exhaustion clear in his voice, he settled his backpack by the cabinet that was next to the table. Himself he situated on the bed. It was fluffy and smelled like fresh laundry.

"Haha that's good to hear!" The blond man said, adding "Will and Techno are gonna come home sometime soon, I'll call you when the dinner is ready in the meantime you can rest and unpack kay'"

Tommy gave him a thumbs up. He faced the window. ' _Why bother unpacking anyways, not like I'm gonna be long_ '

—

Some time passed of Tommy being cooped up in his new room. At first he came to exploring the space a little closer. All the drawers by his desk were empty as well as the closet, he found the place underneath the table, at the right cornier of the room. The space was covered up by a part of the closet. He found that it will be a great place to hide, not being seen unless looked at closer. He found a small space between the cabinet and the wall, he obviously wouldn't fit in there but it didn't mean other things couldn't. The bed he was previously sitting on was an ikea one. Made of white coloured metal poles, and a crawl space underneath.

After some time he got bored and went to sitting on his bed, he looked out the window which was over to the side, seeing the backyard.

It had a small wooden patio and a few chairs along with the big sunshade. Not that it was of much use, being the winter months currently. Beside the patio, on the grassy ground was a small garden and a few withered flowers and other small plants in it. 

He could see one big tree with a swing attached to one of the bigger branches. It wasn't a big yard but it was big enough. The ends of it being fenced with a small brick wall which on top of it had a black metal fence.

Tommy watched how the wind blew off a few orange leaves off of the tree. He shivered at the cold it made him think of.

With tired hands he took out the book he   
brought with him. He stuffed the money hiding in it in the pencil case, and shoved the whole thing to the bottom of his bag. The book in question was _The Perks of Being a Wallflower_ , he had snached it off the shelf of the school library. The book seemed good enough, Tommy never was the one for coming of age books, interested more in the fantasy genre. Thus he never came around to finishing it. But it was a good way to kill some time for now.

Tommy picked up the navy blanket at the edge of his bed, wrapping himself up in it. He continued reading where he left off. It was the part where the main character was reading a poem someone gave him.

(You can skip this part, it's from the book, but it's a really nice poem so i reccomended reading it.)

-

  
_Once on a yellow piece of paper with green lines_   
_he wrote a poem_   
_And called it "Chops" Because that was the name of his dog_   
_And that's what it was all about_   
_And his teacher gave him an A_   
_and a gold star_   
_And his mother hung it on the kitchen door_   
_and read it to his aunts_   
_That was the year Father Tracy_   
_took all the kids to the zoo_   
_And he let them sing on the bus_   
_And his little sister was born_   
_with tiny toenails and no hair_   
_And his mother and father kissed a lot_   
_And the girl around the corner sent him a_   
_Valentine signed with a row of X's_   
_and he had to ask his father what the X's meant_   
_And his father always tucked him in bed at night_   
_And was always there to do it_

_Once on a piece of white paper with blue lines_   
_he wrote a poem_   
_And he called it "Autumn"_   
_because that was the name of the season_   
_And that's what it was all about_   
_And his teacher gave him an A_   
_and asked him to write more clearly_   
_And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door_   
_because of its new paint_   
_And the kids told him_   
_that Father Tracy smoked cigars_   
_and left butts on the pews_   
_And sometimes they would burn holes_   
_That was the year his sister got glasses_   
_with thick lenses and black frames_   
_And the girl around the corner laughed_   
_when he asked her to go see Santa Claus_   
_And the kids told him why_   
_his mother and father kissed a lot_   
_And his father never tucked him in bed at night_   
_And his father got mad_   
_when he cried for him to do it_

_Once on a paper torn from his notebook_   
_he wrote a poem_   
_And he called it "Innocence: A Question"_   
_because that was the question about his girl_   
_And that's what it was all about_   
_And his professor gave him an A_   
_and a strange steady look_   
_And his mother never hung it on the kitchen door_   
_because he never showed her_   
_That was the year that Father Tracy died_   
_And he forgot how the end_   
_of the Apostle's Creed went_   
_And he caught his sister_   
_making out on the back porch_   
_And his mother and father never kissed_   
_or even talked_   
_And the girl around the corner_   
_wore too much makeup_   
_That made him cough when he kissed her_   
_but he kissed her anyway_   
_because that was the thing to do_   
_And at three A.M. he tucked himself into bed_   
_his father snoring soundly_

_That's why on the back of a brown paper bag_   
_he tried another poem_   
_And he called it "Absolutely Nothing" Because that's what it was really all about_   
_And he gave himself an A_   
_and a slash on each damned wrist_   
_And he hung it on the bathroom door_   
_because this time he didn't think_   
_he could reach the kitchen._

-Perks of Being a Wallflower

—

(- end of poem)

It was a sad piece, but beautiful non the less. Tommy found himself in the poem, which he thought was weird. Because he wasn't a kid living with two loving parents _'not anymore at least'._ Because he never got an A for his writing. Because he never had that one person for whom he could write the disgustingly sweet letters for. 

On the other side, he could realise a pain of growing up a little too quickly for his liking. Of finding your self being left in a cold empty house. Of forgotten memories he longed for. Of the space he left behind his back, never being filled, leaving harsh holes in his being.

He wondered if things would be different. If the moment didn't happen, if he was in a house with two loving parents. If he was a normal kid going to the same school his hole childhood. If he was a kid that didn't have a case of all the things he did wrong following him. Would he be normal? Would he be happy? What would that be like?

What would he do if he wasn't happy even then. What if he didn't have all the fucked up things to blame for his unhappiness. What if _even then_ he wasn't happy, who could he blame then but himself. Him and his own being the problem. He wondered.

He spent but a good 10 minutes staring at the yellowing page beneath his fingertips. Tommy himself, didn't know how much time passed before he continued reading.

—

_'I need to piss'_ Tommy thought, getting up and heading to the bathroom across the hall.

He got up, leaving the warmth of the soft blanket and the comfort of his bed. His sockless feet stepped out on the wooden floor outside his bedroom. 

He turned the knob and entered the bathroom. He turned on the light and saw the modern looking room, tones of blue and white enveloping his vision.  
Baby blue tiles riddled the floor, little white diamond shape accents being where four tiles met. Walls were a marble white decorating the walls. Double washbasins were made of white porculan and glued to the wall with a big ass mirror above them. A cabinet to the right of it and a toilet left of it.

Tommy did his business and was now washing his hands. Cold water hit his face, droplets dripping down his chin, he reached for the white towel hanging by the side of the element. 

' _what time is it even?_ ' The sky was a darker gray than it was the last time he looked. He reached for the door stepping out, eager to get back to the comfort of his bed. He ran into something hard, stumbling back.

"Oi dickhead!" Words leaving his mouth before he had time to think. A hand grabbed his before he could fall ass first on the tiled bathroom floor. 

"Who are you calling a dickhead you gremlin?"

Tommy took a hand off his face, nose red and hurting from the collision. He looked up to the brick wall he presumably ran into. Towering over him was an almost a head taller teenager. With curly chestnut hair falling over his eyes he looked at Tommy.

"Well you obviously, who stands in front of the door like that! Are you stupid?"

"Well who almost falls flat on his ass the moment something crosses his way?" The taller teen tightened his grip on Tommy's wrist. Feeling as if he could snap it if he wanted to.

"Well that was yo' fault, wasn't it?" He pulled his wrist out the giant's hold. "And I'm not a gremlin you lanky motherfucker!" Tommy held his gaze with the taller fella, asserting dominance as he would call it. His hand acked a little, although not willing to show it in the moment of being.

"But you are a gremlin are you not shorty?" A smirk grew on his lips.

"I am not short dickhead!" Tommy angrily said.

"Well are you gonna let me use a bathroom or not kid?" He looked over Tommy looking bored.

Tommy huffed, stepping out and shoving the brown haired devil out of his way. He returned to his room.

  
A few minutes passed and a knock on his door was heard. "What?" Tommy called out.

The teen from earlier stepped in. "Who said you could come in?" Tommy said looking at the being.

"Well it's my house so..." His brown eyes wondered around the room.

"Whatever, what do you want?"

"Well i thought i would introduce myself now that I'm not about to piss' myself" he put a hand out for Tommy to shake.

"My name's Wilbur gremlin child!" He said with a smile.

Tommy looked at his hand for a moment, then gaze returning to his book. "Tommy" he said shortly. 

Wilbur, or what's his name withdrew his hand. "Anyways Phil said dinner is gonna be ready in a moment, you could come down"

"Alright" 

With that Wilbur left the room. ' _Ughh this is gonna be a long evening won't it._ ' Tommy thought as he buried his head in the pages.


	5. It's Friday still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mmmmm the yummy dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am updating this at one am, maybe gonna make it a double update today, cuz tommorow and the day after imma be busy. Love the comments thank you so much!

Tommy reluctantly got up again. His hoodie wrinkled around its edges, he frowned at it. In such a classy house he couldn't think they would accept him going to the table like this. Now he hadn't had a blouse or anything like that he just thought he should change into something less wrinkly. 

He took a look in his bag, he had two options, one hoodie- the bluish one he wore yesterday, and another- a gray one that had a stain on its sleeve. ' _first one it is'_ Tommy took it out. It was less wrinkled than you think it'd be sitting in a bag the whole day. He changed it, putting on along some fresh socks. The ones he wore previously were wet and currently drying off on the room's heater. 

The teen stopped to fix his hair for a moment ' _still fucking curly_ ' before descending down the stairs. This time careful not to run into another giant. ' _seriously who's that fucking tall anyways?'_

Chatter could be heard from the kitchen, and a smell of something delicious. Houses lights were on, and he stood before the kitchen door, shadows cast hiding him. He stood at the edge behind the wall, just listening, checking if its safe to come out.

"Tommy!" Phil yelled sticking his head out the door. Tommy seemed just as surprised as the man currently looking at him. "Oh you're here!" He said cheerfully at the blonde teen.

"Haha yup, that's me." He scratched his head stepping into the light up room.  
Checkerboard pattern on the floor he looked up from his feet and into the room. 

"Come in, sit wherever you want. The dinner will be done in just a moment." A sizzling came from the way of the kitchen.

Tommy stood at the door, to his left the said kitchen, a bar like counter sperating it from the dining room. On his left there was a cabinet glued to the wall closest to him. The corners of the dining room were big glass windows looking to the back yard. The table where he was supposed to sit was a ' _oak_?' wood table for six people. Two of the seats already being taken.

On one side of the table sat the tall looking motherfucker he had met earlier. He was now wearing round glasses placed on the bridge of his nose. And his previous attire was replaced with a dark gray oversized sweater and a pair of black sweatpants from what he could tell. His cocoa-coloured eyes focused on his phone. _'guess it isn't a formal dinner after all'_

Opposite him, at the table sat a tired looking teen. His _'pink hair?'_ in a low bun. He was finishing setting up the table putting a fork on what was presumingly Tommy's spot, being decided for him. The teen wore a short sleeve red tee, and short black pants. Tommy gulped. This fucker was a rock if he ever saw one, he wasn't as lanky looking as the other one but he didn't expect him to be a weight lifter or some shit. God help his mouth he doesn't get on the guys bad side.

He stood a moment too long it seems as the said person was now looking at him. Eyes a grayish color? He couldn't tell.

"Ya gonna sit down?" Asked the pink haired guy, his tone deep and surprisingly monotonous. From the way he looked at him you'd think he was angry.

"Uh yup, sure am big man" tommy said sitting nervously. The spot that was decided for him was next to the curly haired devil he met earlier.

Phil brought two pots of food to the table. One filled to the brim with garlic seasoned broccoli and another one with chicken breast files. It smelled delicious. 

"So!" Phil clasped his hands. "Tommy, let me introduce you!" 

He pointed to the pink haired man "This is Technoblade" And then to the tall fella "And this is Wilbur"

Wilbur spoke up "we met" he said absent mindedly, his hands grabbing the spoon for the broccoli.

"You did?" The pinkette, Technoblade he now knew, asked, tone still and uninterested.

Phil also sat down at the head of the table, and began to put food on his plate, listening the conversation go by.

"Yea! The child ran into me just as I was about to go for a piss" Wilbur continued slicing off a piece of chicken and eating it.

Tommy waited till everyone took their portion of the food, hoping they'd leave some for him cuz it smelled fucking awesome. Hearing the comment through he interjected "Excuse you! You were the one standing at the door. And i am not a child!"

"Whatever, aren't you like twelve?" Brown haired teen continued.

"I am SIXTEEN you bitch!" Tommy said with no real anger in him, putting on a face for comedic purposes.

"Haha he called you his bitch, what are you gonna do about it Will" Techno said with a snicker. Stabbing the piece of chicken on his plate.

"Well if you weren't so scrawny maybe you'd look like it" Will said looking u unbothered.

"And you're the one to talk" Phil said joining the conversation.

Tommy seemed to loose it at that, bursting in the laughter, suppressing coughs.

"Dad! You're not supposed to take te gremlins side!" Brunette said looking betrayed.

"Tommy you gonna take some food or...?" Phil asked pointing to the still empty plate the teen had before him.

"Yes child, you need to eat to grow up big and strong."

Ignoring Wilbur, Tommy responded by scooping up a portion of the green vegetable and a small piece of chicken file.

Phil spoke "So, tomorrow i have to go to work since i skipped it today to pick Tommy up. You can order a pizza for lunch guys I'll leave you the money on the counter." 

Tommy stared at the meal. ' _What if they put something in the food'_

_'no no it can't be, they're all eating it too',_

_'and Phil seems nice enough',_

"So you lot will be alone tommorow it being Sunday and all"

' _it wouldn't be the first time for something like that to happen_ ' Tommy gulped, thoughts running ramped in his mind.

'the _family 3 seemed nice too'_

  
Started to shake slightly picking up a mouthful of the meal onto his fork. ' _arsenic is really fucking painful'_

Slowly he put the fork into his mouth 'its tasteless too, i won't know it for some time now'. He enjoyed the meal as much as he could. It was tasty, but not so much when mixed with the anxiety blooming in his stomach. 

"- what do you think Tommy?"

He dropped his fork onto his plate and out his sweaty hands. A loud clattering going through the room. He tried to suppress the panic in his voice from his name being called. "Huh?" He said at first and then tried again "uh sorry i wasn't listening, i was... Distracted"

"I was thinking about taking you clothes shopping on sunday, what do you think?"

It really didn't seem like a bad idea to the teen, it would be nice to have some warmer clothes. But it really wasn't necessary. It would be too much to bring with him when they finally throw him out, needing to depend on his backpack as his limited space.

"Uh you really don't have to big W" he said trying to finish the food on his plate. 

Phil seemed to think over his next words, a hesitation not being noticed by the teen. "It's really no problem Tommy" he said with a smile.

"Okay" the teen said defeated.

"Great then!" Phil said getting up, and collecting will and Techno's plates, everyone was already done with their meals.

Tommy ate but just 5 bites from his meal. "Oh I'm done too" 

"You're not gonna eat anymore? Was it not to your liking?" 

Tommy immediately retrieved "No no no no, it's nothing like that! It was delicious! It's just that I'm still full after that bagel earlier." He said with a chuckle.

Tommy had eaten that bagel 4 hours ago, Phil didn't believe he was full from that. "Well alrighty Tommy, if you're hungry there's leftovers in the fridge don't you worry." 

"'kay" Tommy said getting up. "Can I go now?" He said meekly.

"Sure you can Tom's!" Phil put the plates in the dishwasher. 

Tommy headed to the stairs, he hadn't noticed when the two weird brothers left the table. He was about to enter his room when a hand clasped around his shoulders.

"Tommy boy! Let me have a word hm?" Wilbur was holding him tightly around the shoulders, towering over him. The sentence didn't sound like a question when Will started pulling him in the direction of his room.

"No, i don't wanna go and ' _have a word with you'_ you freak!" Tommy said rudely, trying to escape the taller boys grasp, having no luck.

"Now Tommy let's not be rude okay?" Wilbur smiled and looked down the hallway, no one.

"Shut the fuck up, and **let me go**!" Tommy put a hand on the brunettes chest shoving, no success again. His breath was picking up again 'i knew something like this would happen'

Wilbur pulled him to his room, with one quick motion he pulled the younger inside, pinning him to the door. Both hands on the side of the others head, pressed up against the door.

Tommy haven't dare to move. " **Now you listen to me you little shit"** Wilbur said in a low tone, his voice seeming to dropping a few octaves. The smile previously plastered on his face gone.

Chills ran down Tommy's spine, his sky blue eyes looking at the dark ones. It was almost like he forgot to breathe. His face pale as a ghost.

"This isn't the first time Phil picked off some **stray** from the side of the road. I know what you lot are like" Wilbur inched his face closer to the blonds.

"You get your grubby hands on something that doesn't belong to you and than you take off, like some dirty **rats**." He pulled one of his hands off the door and onto the tommy's shoulder.

"You see, I am not gonna let anything like that happen **again** you know?" He squeezed his shoulder.

"Phil is a very nice man, a little foolish sometimes, thinking he can fix someone that can't be fixed."

Tommy thought he could be turning blue from not breathing. He was scared shitless.

"But he's my dad, and i love him. So if **anything** were to happen to him-" he tightened his grip.

' _please don't hurt me, please let me go, let me go, **LET ME GO**_ ' he chanted in his head, no sound coming out.

"-to us. I will know where to find you, wherever you go, i will find you. And when I find you **i will make you hurt** , hurt as much as you hurt us." Tommy's shoulder burned. And he was shaking.

"Get it gremlin?" Wilbur asked.

Tommy stiffly nodded not trusting his voice to speak right now. He wasn't sure any sound would come out.

"It's great that we have an understanding then." Wilbur stepped back, throwing his hands in the air and a smile on his face blooming again.

Tommy stood there for a moment, frozen. 

"Are you just gonna keep standing there or?" Wil pointed to the terrified boy, ignorant to his panic.

Tommy took a deep breath, then bolted out the door to his room. His heart was going thousand times a minute ' _this guy is crazy, I'm living in the house with a lunatic_ '

His hand clenched his shoulder ' _again_ '

  
-

  
Techno was just coming up the stairs, opting to change into something more comfortable. He just came home from practice when the dinner was done, this eating the food in a sweaty and dirty pair of clothes. He was about to enter the bathroom when he saw a yellow head bolt from Wilbur's room and into the guest bedroom. He squinted his eyes and wondered about the situation. 

' _One scared teen boy, and and one sadistic younger brother._ ' He huffed knocking on Wills door. 

"Come in!" A cheery voice said.

"Wil." Techno spoke, opening the door.

"Oh Techno! What pleasure do i have to see you tonight?" Wilbur was spinning in his chair.

Wilbur's room was bigger than the guest one. His room was an abundance of gray tones. All walls were a clean white except the left one, being colored in a light gray tone.

The biggest part of his room was taken by his bed, it was situated in top left corner going over the window just slightly. It was a white ikea (Watson's really love ikea huh?) Queen bunk bed, the top bunk was the bed and the bottom one wasn't a bed but a space, with a desk and a chair that currently had an ecstatic Wilbur sat on top it. His laptop resting on one corner of the table and a mess of books on the other. Facing the wall above the table were situated an abundance of polaroid pictures of him and his friends. And at the bottom left of the room, the corner right by the door, was Wilbur's backpack on one of the bean bags. 

Despite the whole room being in gray scale it was quite colorful. The fairy lights he hung on his bed were bathing the whole room in red, yellow and blue colors. Even the big ass closet that covered the hole right wall was looking like a pride parade at this moment. 

Techno stepped on the white square carpet and leaned his weight against the door, unbeknownst him the weight that was previously pinned there.

"Hi Wilbur" Techno said breathing in.

"Hello brother dear, did i say that before I think i di-"

"I'm gonna cut right to the chase" The pink haired teen cut him off.

Wilbur shut up immediately.

"What did you do to the kid to make him look like he was two seconds away from shitting himself?" Now techno was all for terrorizing little kids, but that was only if they deserved it. From his knowledge the Blond haired child had done nothing of the sort.

Wilbur stopped for a moment looking a little confused, then, as if a lightbulb light up above his head he spoke. "Oh you mean Tommy! I didn't do anything" he laughed "we only had a little chat"

"A little chat huh, about what" Techno came a little closer to his sibling. Intimidating aura enveloping the space around him.

"Oh you know..." Will looked to the side, sweating "stuff.."

"What. Stuff." Techno leaned against his table now.

"I just learned him a few rules. I just wanted to scare him a little bit! Remember the last time dad took in "a helpless child" into our home!?"

"You don't know what's he like Will"

"That bitch stole 500 quid from Phil, her face never to be seen again!"

Techno slammed his fist against the table, making the whole thing shake a little. "You _DON'T KNOW_ what he's like. None of us do okay?"

The teen tried to compose himself, ' _getting angry won't help right now_ ' "Your little, whatever stunt, made the boy shake like a leaf!"

"... It did?"

"For all we know he's in his room right now hyperventilating, sucking for air like an idiot."

Wilbur stayed quiet.

"God knows I've seen that before." Techno looked at his younger brother.

"I'm-" wilbur sighed "sorry."

"I'm not the one who needs to hear that you know" 

"I know."

"Look, imma go see if he's alright, and we can show him around town tommorow or whatever and u can say you're sorry, okay?"

"Yeah okay."

Technoblade left the brunettes room. Heading for his next door neighbor.

-

  
Tommy was NOT _FINE_. That crazy motherfucker shook him up. Techno may have been funny looking but he was still more normal than his giant ass brother.

He leapt in his room trying to lock it, but finding no key. In a rush he took the chair from his desk and showed it under the doorknob. 

His heart was going crazy, and his skin felt as if it was being peeled off chip by chip. All at once he felt too hot, struggling to breathe he opened the window to a back yard, cold autumn air flood in. ' _its still too hot_ ' he took off his hoodie throwing it across the room. The teen grasped at his hands, scratching at the skin under his elbow. He could hear his breathing in his ears. Everything was too loud and too much. 

His nails digged further in his elbows, he focused on the burning pain _'it isn't enough'_ he thought searching for the box of cigarettes. He light one up, not caring if the smell could be sensed behind the door, he genuinely thought he would jump out of his skin if he couldn't find a grip to hold his reality onto. 

Tommy's fingers shaked, he couldn't pick up the smoke from the packet _'fuck- come on, please, please'_

He heard footsteps from the stairs, going on to that lunatics room. He stayed quiet afraid to make a sound.

Once the coast was clear he took to smoking his 'cancer stick' as some liked to call it. Blowing gray smoke out the window. He was about half way through it when a knock was heard on the other side of his door.

"Tommy?" The monotone voice called

He was so surprised the smoke fell from his hands and onto his exposed bit of leg. He tried to pick it up quickly but with shaking fingers he only pushed it further into his skin. "Ah **shit**!" He said a little louder than he would've liked to.

"Are you okay?" The knob turned a few times.

Tommy's heart stopped in it's tracks. He quickly picked up the but and extinguished what was left of it on the side of the building, throwing the but in the trashcan. "DO NOT come in!"

"Okay okay I won't" the knob stopped shuffling.

Tommy looked at the burn on his leg. Then at his scratched up hands. He looked miserable. And he didn't want anyone anywhere near him right now. "What the fuck do you want?"

"I uh, just wanted to check if you were alright. Are you?"

Never the one to show weakness "Why wouldn't I be?" He said with a fake chuckle.

"It's just, Will can be a little scary sometimes"

"Ya think?"

"Can you just hear me out and open this door"

"I'd rather not big man"

Techno sighed "Well okay, we can talk tommorow if you want?"

Tommy gave no answer.

He listened as the footsteps became quieter, walking further to his room. Tommy hoped sleep wouldn't come, because he was absolutely not exited about the tommorow coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imma plug in my deserted instagram @alien_simp i sometimes post Dream SMP lore and art on there. It's kinda lame so i don't blame you if u don't like it.


	6. Stewpid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saturay i guess
> 
> .
> 
> (Filler?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short update!
> 
> Writing isn't really going for me this chapter so I'm sorry it's a lil' shitty. Tell me what u think!

  
" _-mmh" "can we-"_

  
A turn.

  
" _not? Please-_ "

  
Shuffle.

  
" _That-" "-no" "-hurts!"_

  
Sweating, a headache.

" _\- stop, Isaac-" "-hm"_

  
Unwanted touches along his spine.

  
_"-stop, no-"_

  
—

  
"Huh?"

Tommy woke up, not remembering the dream he had a moment ago. Rubbing his eyes he looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. Something didn't feel right.

Tommy woke up with the feeling he didn't know how to describe. It felt as if he was out of himself, looking down on his body, like playing a character in a video game. His pale hands didn't seem real, and the room he was in didn't seem real. All the rooms in the house seemed like he had seen and walked through a thousand times before. Despite of him just laying in his bed.

It all looked like it had been done before.  
The world seemed oddly more gray and distant than it was any other morning.

His mind was somewhere else when he got out of the bed. And he doesn't mean somewhere else as if thinking of something else. He means his mind being in a different space from his body, not thinking of anything at all. Not thinking how weird it was to move his hands right now, not thinking how odd it was to walk on his two legs right now, tight now he wasn't thinking of how they seemed like someone else's.

It was like he was a doll, and someone took all of his limbs apart and then made him whole again, except for one thing. That they put his head 'and mind' thousands of kilometers from his plastic taken apart body.

He brushed his teeth, with a slow motion. He washed his face, looking at the mirror he saw a different person looking back at him. The blond haired with the blue ocean eyes didn't seem like himself. A stranger living in his body.

He leaned on the sink, and felt a sudden stinging sensation on his arms. But he didn't flinch. On the skin under Tommy's elbows were pink scratch marks, along with crescent shaped indentations. Some skin was chipped off leaving him with a burning feeling and red spots.

 _'...'_ he couldn't muster the energy to think of something to say to himself.

He couldn't bring himself to care for the burn mark that came to be on his leg. He couldn't bring himself to care for the angry red spot that formed on it.

Tommy felt at this moment, if he is to be run over by a bus he coul not find it in himself to care. Everything seemed passing.

He hoped this feeling would pass soon.

—

Tommy didn't know when he was downstairs at the dining table. He didn't remember how he got to where he was, what he knew was that he was sitting with his head resting on his hand. Clutching and unclenching this fist, waiting for something to happen.

He didn't know how much time he spent there, drifting in and out of feeling.

"Hey" a voice called

"Hm?" He said absently not really registering the voice.

A blur of pink walked by him and he suddenly felt a little more awake than before. Scent of birch and fresh shower traveled along him.

The older brother _'Dave? Techno?'_ waked over to the kitchen counter.

"Um, morning Dave?" Tommy tried briefly.

"It's Technoblade" he grumbled.

"Sorry" the blonde said with no real snark in her voice. He peeled his head off the table.

"About last night-" Techno started looking at him.

"-I don't wanna talk about it." Tommy cut him off.

He looked at the teen for a moment more. Than shook his head looking away.

"Want something to eat?"

"No, thanks" Tommy looked outside the window, the sun was higher in the sky than it was when he first arrived at the table.

"Want some coffee?"

"Please." He said in a defeated voice.

Tommy walked over to the bar counter and sat down in one of the higher chairs.

After a few minutes a boiling hot cup was placed in front of him, the other kept in the kitchen making himself a sandwich.

After more than a half of the cup was emptied Tommy felt a little more like himself. Or a little more grounded at least, through he didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing.

Techno was making his way to sit at the dining table with his sandwich and coffee.

"Thank you for coffee big T!" Tommy said finishing his cup.

"Sure" he said scrolling through this phone.

Tommy rinsed the cup and went to the living room. His foot steps weren't heard when he walked to. His fingertips traced parallel lines on the wood of the dusty piano. 

Memories of soft touches on his knuckles. Of hands guiding him. Of soft melodies filling the space he left behind. 

He opened the piano, and put his hands into position. Pushed the leg of the piano, making it kill the sound. Only a silent melody playing. Remembering the first time he ever got a praise from his music teacher. He remembered him fondly.

A quiet sound of _Nocturnes, Op.9 : No.2_ was heard coming from the living room. Head swaying with the fingers, acting on muscle memory. But,

He had stopped before the end, not remembering the rest. With shaky fingers he hugged himself. 

—

  
And in the hallway Wilbur was sitting at the bottom of the stairs listening to the quiet time of the old piano. He wanted to stop him from playing, but at the same time he wanted to hear the song through the end.

An off tune note louder than the rest was heard along with a shaky intake of breath. And then silence.

—

"Who knew the child could play" the brown eyed monster entered the room, a stupid grin on his face. Shoulder leaning against the entrance.

"Fuck off" Tommy said, regaining his voice. 

"Oh, don't be like that, i was just giving you a compliment"

Tommy loudly shut the lid of the piano. Staring at his eyes that were supposedly supposed to be warm looking.

That was the right moment for Techno to come in before one said a thing or two the other would regret.

"God Wilbur it's already 12 and you aren't even dressed probably"

"Dressed for what?" Tommy questioned.

"We're gonna show you the town today kid, if you're up to it"

Tommy didn't necessary want to go anywhere with the insane brunette, or a weight lifter with pink hair. But he was afraid what he would do if he said no.

"Poggers dude, I'm just gonna go hop in the shower before"

Techno watched him leave for the upstairs bathroom, than he headed over to the center of the living room sitting on the floor in front of the couch.

"Can you braid my hair?"


	7. Saturday!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Autumn wether.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note the tags! More will be added as i develop the story, i use some ships to forward the story so take notice!
> 
> Also I figured out where I want this story to take place: Brighton!

Now smelling of soap and fresh shower Tommy was in his room putting on warm clothes, given they'll be out a fair bit of time. 

"Bitch" the teen hissed as his hand brushed against the burn. He pulled the sock over it non the less.

With that he was finished dressing. He was wearing his baggy pair of black jeans with holes on the knees, they weren't intentional, Tommy would much rather have hole-less pants, but land on your legs one too many times that's what you get. They hanged loose around his hips, a size or two too big. Over them was a black shirt and a gray hoodie it had a stain yes, but it was a little warmer than the rest and that's good enough for him.

Not sure if he should take his bag with him, he stuffed the age old phone in the jeans pocket and the packet of smokes in his hoodie, boxy shape unnoticeable.

He stretched and poked at his chest a little, it still hurt but he'd reckon it'd be fine if he didn't touch it.

Half an hour after he returned to the living room. At the couch sat that bitch and at the floor was Technoblade.

Wilbur's fingers intertwined with the pink locks. Smoothing it over and braiding it. Wilbur smiled to himself humming som sort of time to himself " _it's not an ahegao hoodie~ it's a work of art_ " he was also now dressed into a different set of clothes.

He was sporting a beige turtleneck with a small brown orca embroidered over his heart. And a pair of corduroy brown pants, his poof of hair bring hidden by a mahogany red beanie. If he wasn't such a bitch Tommy would say he resembled a big teddy bear.

The other, pink haired teen had his head in the taller's lap, facial features relaxed. He was wearing the already presented outfit of jeans and hoodie.

He had his eyes closed but it was as if he had a fifth sense of something because that ' _scary mother fucker'_ opened his eyes the moment Tommy stepped into the room.

"Ready to go?" Wilbur asked as he tied the salmon colored braid.

"Yeah." Tommy said heading to the hallway.

The trio exited the house, breeze passing by. The sky was a pale blue, with very few clouds. The sun was deceiving, the rays it shed on the pavement bright, but the warmth it brought was minimal.

They walked along the pavement, Tommy's eyes passing over the washed off yellow lines for parking cars, and the dirt situated between the cracks. His step skipping along the crunchy leafs his eyes spotted the pink looking worm on the ground. Surprising lot of bugs were still alive despite the colder temperatures.

A red spot disappeared behind his shoe. Finding that it was a ladybug. "Just killed a woman, feeling good"

The two looked at him in surprise, tommy only smiled at them "whot?" He questioned.

Wilbur smiled "what do you mean ' _whot_?' What did you say just now?"

' _Did I say that out loud?_ ' he wondered.

"I uh- stepped on the ladybug" he laughed at the dumb founded expression the other was making. A high pitched wheeze escaping him.

Wilbur's hand came up to his face, shuffling laughter. "What the fuck man" he said still laughing.

Techno stayed quiet walking a little aehead of the two who practically stopped waking, wilbur laughing and Tommy trying to explain himself. "come on idiots, get going"

"I know, I'm an alpha male, so start walking ur toothpick legs and pick up the pace" Tommy said triumphantly, putting his hands into his pockets and hurrying along with Techno.

Wilbur started walking again, then said in a teasing tone, making quote marks with his fingers "hahaha good one, an ' _alpha male_ ' " he laughed further.

They were rounding the corner now, and as they did Tommy tripped the older boy. Who stumbled and then glared at him.

"Techno! The child just tripped me!"

Techno looked at at the boy accused, who was smirking to himself then at the Taller boy making puppy eyes at him.

"Survival of the fittest" Pinkette finally said, continuing to walk. The two not noticing him grinning to himself.

"Yeah dipshit survival of the fittest" Tommy said laughing even further, sounding like a squeaky toy. 

Wilbur then pushed him, which made him stumble onto the pink haired teen. The part of his face that touched the teens back burned, shifting him into fight or flight mode. He immediately peeled off him stumbling back once more. He flinched when two hands cought him by the shoulders. Tommy felt cornered.

"You sure do fall a lot for an ' _alpha male_ ' " Wilbur teased, not reading the mood.

Tommy detached himself off him, and ran in the front of the two, little further out the street, breathing heavily.

"Ye ye, whatever. Where are we going anyway?" 

"We're here" Technoblade proclaimed.

Tommy looked around, it was the triangular shaped park he saw the day before. He started heading to it, drawn to nature. A hand cought the hood of his shirt.

"Not there gremlin child" Pinkette grumbled.

"Oh not you too! Listen here, I am not a fucking gremlin you emo looking little shit" Tommy said in a spur of a moment, annoyed that he was stopped in his intent. Forgetting how scary the guy in front of him actually was.

Techno sighed, annoyed "you keep acting like it" he said breefly before looking down at his phone again. "The bus will come in a minute or so, we don't have time"

Tommy noticed that the part of the street they were standing at right now was a bus stop. He turned to the road, red of the car lights passed by his eyes. He crossed his arms. "Well where ARE we going then?"

"We're gonna show you the way to school" he said shortly.

"That's so boring tho', do we have to?"

"Yeah, we do Techno has to go help the team captain organise something"

"It won't take too long, hopefully"

The buses numbers flashed in yellow, _'223'_ Tommy memorised, they sat in the semi empty vehicle. 20 minutes later they were exiting. Walking further along the street. Wilbur and Techno were talking about something Tommy wasn't interested in. His hands were shaking from the cold, he didn't know if it was just him or everyone. The two other boys were sporting, one just a hoodie and the other a thin black coat.

The school came into view, it looked like a typical british college, red and brown brick European style. It was more old school than his previous one, and a lot bigger too. He saw a few people resting beneath the greenery in front of the school entrance, smoking and drinking coffee. Techno at this point took off to the school. 

Wilbur seemed to be texting someone then his head lifted up as he looked at the group of people. One of the person's, a girl with pink hair waved at him. He started walking over, not waiting for Tommy to follow.

"Hey guys" Wilbur said with a smile. "Whatcha doing over here, and why was I not invited"

"You would know if you ever looked at the snapchat group" A brown haired boy scoffed.

"I'm sorry if I can't stomach all the selfies of your ugly face on there Fundy" Wilbur exclaimed sitting down by the said man.

Tommy walked over just standing there awkwardly.

Fundy started to reply when he was cut off "-hey who's the kid with the hunchback"

Tommy reminded to fix his posture, straightened a bit. Starting to reply to the man holding a cigarette inbetween his lips, not saying anything before he was cut off by the curly haired demon.

" 's my new foster brother" he took the cig from the hands of another girl with strong eyeliner and longer hair. Taking a breath.

"It's Tommy Innit." He said sitting down by the man in question. It didn't rain so the ground was hard and dry. Not comfortable but good enough to sit on.

"So Phil took in another one, huh? Even after what happened last time?"

Wilbur gave him a look, not answering.

"I'm Jay Schlatt, you can call me Schlatt kid." Man blew the smoke in his face grinning.

"Dick" Tommy rubbed his eyes off the smoke.

People around the circle introduced themselves beside Schlatt sat the pink haired girl, he now knew as Niki. Beside her a dark skinned raven haired boy named Nick or Sapnap _'did everyone have nicknames'_ he wondered. 

The girl Wilbur was now arguing over "get yo' own pack you dipshit" he heard him calling her Minx, so he assumed that was her name. Beside them was the brown haired boy who dissed Wilbur earlier, Fundy.

"So you still didn't tell me what you lot are you doing here?"

"We're waiting for Callahan and Ponk to be over with football related stuff"

"And Clay?"

Schlatt looked over him, as if debating responding "he had homework" 

"Oh" Wilbur said and continued to talk to Minx.

Tommy looked at the people talking, leaning against the tree with Schlatt, he sighed and nudged him.

"Can I have a smoke?" 

"How old are you" Schlatt asked

"Well how old are you?" Tommy countered.

"Good point" he handed him the pack.

Wilbur watched as Tommy lit the cigarette in her mouth taking a deep breath. It was the brand he didn't like because it bit his throat.

Wilbur grinned and said, looking at him "I'll tell Phil" he said in a sing along voice.

Tommy didn't mind, he wasn't stupid. If he thought he was gonna get cought, he wouldn't have lit the thing. Completely calm he looked at him, exhaling "You tell, I'm telling" 

Wilbur looked surprised that an idea like that even entered the others mind. Regaining his composure he said "I'm his son, who's he gonna believe"

Tommy wondered for a minute, responding "Try me." 

At this moment Minx started laughing.

"The guys got you Will! This is so fuckin' funny" she said in a weird accent.

The group started talking and joking about, Tommy even joined in. Before he knew an hour passed. He was pressed closer up to the tree, hugging himself. Feeling tired and cold, and a little sick. A quiet grumble of his stomach was heard in his ears, no one else noticed it over Fundy's story telling, hopefully.

Trying to forget the hunger, he moved to light another smoke, from his own box. Frowning when he saw that it was the last one. 

Again he nudged the taller boy beside him, who was just about done taking a piss on Wilbur. The other boy looking fake upset.

"You know where they'll sell me a pack?" It was true that most people didn't care if teens smoked, but not all were willing to sell it to them.

"Um sure there's this stand around the corner that never asks for an id. Minx can take you."

"Why me?" Minx whined.

"Cuz I'm too lazy to get up and I'm almost finished with my box"

"If I'm goin' ur going too idiot." She spat at him.

"Ughhh, guess we're all going then" Schlatt groaned getting up and dusting off the leaves that were stuck on his pants.

"So? You gonna get up?" He looked at Minx.

Tommy was already on his feet. Leaning on the tree still. Waiting for his vision to clear up. Dark spots disappearing.

"I'm comin' okay okay" she dusted off her skirt as well.

"You want anything Niki?" She asked looking at her friend.

"A capri sun?" She asked smiling.

"Sure sweetheart' " Minx answered jokingly.

"I want one as well!" Wilbur practically jumped.

"That will be one quid" she extended her hand.

"Ey! That's not fair! How come Niki doesn't have to pay but i do!"

Tommy smiled at the girl bulling the older man. 

"That's because I love Niki and i hate you, so you gonna give me that quid or no?"

The other huffed and threw the coin over to her.

"You're going with them" Wilbur spat at Tommy.

"Yeah, so? What you gonna do?" 

Wilbur stayed quiet "nothing, if you don't come back before Techno we're leaving you here"

"Works for me" Tommy said shortly turning on his heel and walking along the other two.

They rounded the corner, joking and talking. Schlatt bought his pack, and Minx did hers as well as four capi sun's ' _four?'_

And it was Tommy's turn. He had looted one of the drawers when no one was looking, it was full of office supplies and home junk like keychains and old wallets. He checked all of them, and luckily got 20 fucking euros from it. Happy with his findings he returned everything to the way it was before. 

Tommy took out the 20 and payed for his malboro red's. "So how's it living with Wilbur?" Minx asked as he unpacked the box, he felt like smoking more today.

"Fuckin awful' let me tell ya" Tommy mumbled.

"Yea i could've guessed, he can be a real idiot sometimes"

"Fucking stewpid" he walked alongside, his throat hurting, he didn't drink anything since that coffee shop knew how many hours ago now.

"But he's not actually that bad a guy" Schlatt tuned in.

"Yeah don't worry, he'll warm up to you in time, you seem like a nice fella' " Minx took one of the Capri Suns and punched a hole through, sipping on the straw. 

She handed one of the juice bags to Tommy "For you kid, as a kind of a welcome to Brighton" she smiled.

"Thank you, i didn't actually realise how thirsty i was." He smiled and practically drank it all in one big gulp. He felt a little better.

Soon they were back at the same spot under the yellowing tree. Minx handed one bag to Niki and one to Wilbur who was distracted typing on his phone. Which made him notice the bag being thrown too late and hitting his face.

"Hey!" He looked up at minx and the juice bag that Tommy was holding.

"Wait! You gave him sugar?!" He said in a concerned voice. Which made even Tommy raise an eyebrow " 'whot?" He asked.

"Great, now the child won't be able to sleep at night" he said dramatically, one eye opened he looked at Tommy's angry expression and burst into laughter.

"Yer an asshole dude" said Sapnap smiling.

—

Some time after Techno and the others came from the school. "Yo we're gonna chill in the Lander cafe, wanna come with?" 

Wilbur answered "i can't I need to bring Clay the geography notes i promised" a smile on his face, Schlatt looked at him shaking his head.

Techno looked at his brother "do you now?" 

"Mhm, he just texted me" 

Niki asked "Technoblade, Tommy you wanna come with?"

Wilbur frowned and held Tommy's hand in a strong grip, almost like threatening him to say yes if he dared to. Techno noticed and pushed his brother off of Tommy.

"Wanna stay Tommy?" Techno said with tired eyes. 

Tommy was also pretty tired, his fingers turned icy. "No I'm pretty tired, i think imma pass" 

The trio walked to the bus stop riding to the bus stop by the park where they started that day. Tommy looked to it and then at the two taller figures walking in front of him.

"Let's order something to eat and then you can bring Clay the notes or whatever." Techno said unlocking the house door.

"Kay' let me text him"

"Chinese sound good?" Techno questioned as he sat at the couch.

"Yeah" Tommy answered

"Sure" Wilbur said still typing on his phone. A slight pink tint to his cheeks.

After time the food came, they ate before the tv. Wilbur munched it down in record time and hurried out the front door, saying something about being home by 10 pm. 

Techno didn't bat an eye as he switched through the channels stopping on Ratatouille, which was just starting.

After Tommy ate he fell asleep on the couch in front of the TV. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, i don't encourage smoking! I just depicted my experience, and those alike. U shouldn't smoke it's not good for u OwO
> 
> (Tho I'm still gonna keep doing it akhm akhm, hypocrite)


	8. Get in, we're going shopping bitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sunday!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School started and I won't be able to update as frequently, but i hope to make up for it by making the chapters longer!
> 
> If I don't update for a while doesn't mean I've got a writer block, i have the next 4 chapters roughly planned out, and after those many more are to come.
> 
> Thank you for sticking with me y'all so kind 🥺

  
Tommy was woken up by the bang of the front door. A slightly disheveled looking Wilbur walking through the dark hallway. At first Tommy thought someone broke in before hearing the others voice rumble through the house. Tommy hugged the blanket placed over him closer, looking at the clock on the wall. _'its already 00:07?'_ The house was dark and quiet, that was until the light in the kitchen turned on. 

Tommy rubbed his eyes at the light beam coming from the other room, he sat up and pulled the blanket around his back and frame. He walked to the light source what he saw was Wilbur getting the leftovers from the fridge and heating them up.

"Oh, hey" he said looking at Tommy.

"Where were you" Tommy asked

Wilbur snorted at the fact of how Tommy looked like a little kid right now. The big fluffy blanket enveloping him, hanging almost to his toes. His hair a bed head sticking out in all directions, yawning. "I was at the friends house, what's it to you"

Tommy looked at him a little closer, his hair was almost as equally messed up as Tommy's. Still, he had the same clothes he was wearing earlier that day, if a little more wrinkled. "Just wondering"

He stood for a moment, the silence hanging thick in the air around them.

Tommy was just about to leave when the other began speaking.

"So-" Wilbur started.

"Whot?" Tommy asked in his typical british accent.

"I wanted to-" Wilbur seemed at the loss for words, stuttering and going again. He took a step closer to Tommy, the other following his movement, eyes wide.

"You wanted what big man?" He took a step back, a chill running through his spine.

The brunette took one look at his expression and ran a hand over his face. His phone chimed and he looked away "No- no, nothing nevermind" he shooed Tommy off.

By the time he looked from the screen he was already gone.

  
—

  
Wilbur was weird, and Tommy would know, he had met some weird people before. And when he meant weird he meant weird with the capital W. He didn't know what to think of the man, he was mainly annoying.

But he could be unpredictable and that made him scary, because if someone was gonna beat the shit out of him, at least he knew that they were, and knew how to act. But with Wilbur, one moment he was joking with him and the other he was giving him deadly looks, threatening him. Wilbur was by no means a small man, which meant when he wanted to be scary, he was fucking _scary_. 

Tommy lay in his bed now, struggling to keep the troubling thoughts away. He was covered in two sets of blankets, and he was quite comfortable. Sleep took over him. 

  
—

  
Tommy woke up hearing voices talking, sounds coming from the downstairs. It was probably Phil making food again given from the sweet smell enveloping the house. Although he was comfortable when he fell asleep he was now boiling hot and sweaty. _'God i hate being a teenager'_ he thought as he got up to head for the bathroom. 

He showered, spending a little more time in the bath, water not running cold by any means. When he got out he watched the steam emit from the remaining water. 

He felt a sharp sting from the burn mark on his leg. The red spot looking back at him. _'That- doesn't look good.'_ he thought. _'there should be a plaster somewhere around here'_ he scavenged the bathroom not finding anything. After a moment of silence he sighed, _'im gonna have ask Phil'_ asking for help from the older man was easier than dealing with an infection. _'They hurt like a bitch'_ he thought about it. 

He reached for his hoodie, smelling it and making a disgusted face. _'Yeah no not wearing that again'_ he threw it in what looked like a wash basket. He scrawled remembering he hasn't brought another change of clothes. 

  
He brought the red shower towel around his waist and stepped out. Just before he was to open the doors to his room Wilbur stepped out of his own.

  
"Hey-" he started speaking, eyes lingering on the others body.

A chill ran down Tommy's spine as he quickly came in and shut the door behind him. The flight or fight kicking in. He felt a terror, like something bad will happen if he stayed there. If that fear was rational or not Tommy didn't know.

A knock came to the door "Hey, Dad-um Phil made pancakes by the smell of it haha" when he didn't get a response from the other he continued, "-anyways, you should come down for breakfast" 

"Okay big man be there in a second" he responded, tone loud and strained.

Footsteps led to downstairs, hitting the floor quieter with each step.

  
—

  
Wilbur was about to follow the heavenly scent downstairs when he saw the figure in the hallway. It was the gremlin, he just got out of the shower by the looks of it, that wasn't what made him stare through.

"Hey-" he started but the door shut in his face. For a moment he stood frozen also. Tommy was too thin if Wilbur could say. He could see each rib on his pasty chest, and his side profile looked like that of a sheet of paper. And the other thing were boot shaped bruises littering his chest. The ugly assemble of yellow and purple shades. 

_'I knew that he was hurt by the previous phone call but i didn't know it was that bad'_ he thought as a level of dread and guilt pooled in his stomach. _'And i dragged him around and slammed him to the door.'_ Wilbur felt like a piece of shit, no wonder the kid hated him.

He tried to regain his composure, calling him for breakfast. He should tell Phil about what he saw.

 _'The last time Tommy was in a foster home was a month ago'_ Wilbur remembered being told. The bruises should've already healed by now.

So he went downstairs to talk to his dad.

  
  


—

  
Tommy was wearing sweatpants and the black hoodie when he came downstairs. He tried to forget the encounter with the taller brother which happened minutes ago. He didn't like feeling exposed like that. As he walked he felt the pain on his leg when his pants rubbed the still fresh wound _'right, right a plaster'_

The brunette and Pinkette were already sitting at the table. One was eating the beautiful looking fluffy pancakes seasoned with just a few blueberries and the other, taller fella, was putting what seemed like a pound of nutella on his.

"Morning Tommy!" The blond man, flipping a fluffy pancake, called. Tommy's mouth watered at the sight.

  
"Morning Phil" Tommy's stomach grumbled, he usually didn't eat breakfast but the pancakes smelled so heavenly.

  
"Hey do you know where the plasters are" Tommy asked carefully.

  
"Are you hurt? Are you okay?" He immediately bombarded him with questions.

  
"Yeah, just a bug bite from yesterday" he laughed it off.

  
Technoblade snorted "I'm sure Wilbur can tell you where they are" 

  
The said man blushed putting a hand on his neck "oh fuck off Techno" he said sounding embarrassed.

  
Tommy thought nothing of the interaction as he was instructed where they were "the bottom drawer in the downstairs bathroom" Tommy got up and headed to the bathroom to put one on, nobody needed to know he took a few more _'just in case'_

He came back to the table, a plate of fresh batch pancakes waiting for him. 

"So Tommy i thought of going to the mall with you today, to get some more clothes for you?"

Tommy began putting nutella on his pancakes. They were small fluffy and sweet looking, and he had three resting on his plate.

"Sure big W when are we going?" He said energetically. Stuffing a bite in his mouth.

Phil sat at the table eating as well, "as soon as we're finished with breakfast if that's okay with you!"

Tommy finished the one pancake, it was just the size of his palm, not very much but he didn't usually eat breakfast and he already felt full from one. "You tell me when we're going to go Phil I'm gonna be in my room"

Wilbur eyed at Tommy's plate, a concerned look on his face. He had eaten so little no wonder he was a walking skeleton "You're not gonna eat more?" He asked.

The other seemed surprised at the question "Um no I'm feeling full thanks" turning to the blond man, he added" they were really tasty Phil" 

"No problem kiddo" he said putting away his plate. "I'll come get you in a few minutes".

Tommy shuffled not hearing the rest of the conversation.

  
—

  
"You were right Will he ate too little" Phil said looking at the plate in his hands. "That's not enough for someone to feel full" he put a hand on his face.

"Well I'm gonna go to the mall with him and tonight I'm gonna see if I can do anything about his eating habits"

Wilbur nodded and Techno stayed quiet. "We're gonna go now, anyone want to come with" Phil continued

Wilbur felt bad about his actions. He wanted to apologise last night but couldn't find the words. "I wanna come with"

"That's great! Techno?"

"Have homework" he answered shortly. He was never much of a mall guy, never cared much about clothes and style. As long as they kept him warm, they did their job.

"Will we're going in five minutes you better be ready"

  
  


—

  
A knock on his door was heard before and it opened. "Hey Tommy we're going." Wilbur looked at the boy sitting on his bed, reading out of one of the notebooks.

  
"You're going too?" he asked eyebrows lifting in confusion.

  
"Yeah" he said with no bite in his voice.

  
Tommy looked him from head to toe. He was wearing some light blue jeans, a white turtleneck and a loose beige jumper over it. Golden glass frames resting on the bridge of his nose.

  
"Yea, you could use some new clothes" Tommy snorted and stood up.

  
"Oh shut up, it's called having ' _style_ ' you uneducated child" Wilbur posed dramatically.

  
"You look like an overgrown bean sprout" Tommy said walking down the stairs.

  
"You're just jealous that I'm taller than you" Wilbur said triumphantly.

  
Before he knew it they were putting on shoes and jackets.

"You ready to go boys?" Phil was already out the door. 

  
"Coming!" Wilbur said putting on his black coat and a brown beanie. Tommy followed behind him.

  
"Shotgun!" The brown haired boy yelled as he sat at the front seat, all happy because he got there first.

  
"Wilbur i love you, but i sometimes can't believe you're eighteen" Phil chuckled.

  
"Same here old man" Tommy joined in the laughter.

Wilbur fake pouted as they came out of the driveway. It was a 15mn drive but it felt much shorter. Wilbur started singing along this one song. And even through the guy wasn't Tommy's favorite person, he could admit that he had a good voice, even calming somewhat.

"Let's head to h&m and then we can go get something else if you want" 

They went in, to the men's section. Tommy picked out two shirts and three warm hoodies. 'Well if the guy was offering to pay, i might as well get something out of this" his favorite pick was the obnoxious red, but basic hoodie. It was a size too big but it was warm and comfy looking. He searched for Phil and the tall guy again, they got sperated looking at some jumpers.

"Hey, i picked out some stuff if that's okay?" Tommy said when he found the man.

"Yes Tommy that's what we're here for!" Phil said in a joking manner.

Wilbur was looking at some beanies when he looked over to the shorter boy and what he picked out. "Those are all you're getting?" He asked.

"Well yea-" 

"And so basic too, wait here" Wilbur shuffled beside him, a few minutes pass. Phil was picking out a shawl for Tommy, when the teen came back. In his hands was a black puffer jacket, the same jumper in three different colors, two big sweaters, and some basic Tee's.

"Kay i picked out some stuff for you"   
He said holding the stuff.

"That's too much man, i have like one pair of arms and one pair of legs what the fuck" Tommy said looking at the pile of clothes.

"No Tommy, these are basics and we're getting them."

Phil nodded at his son, glad that he was looking after Tommy. "Come on now we can get the pants somewhere else."

Phil went to the register to pay for the stuff, giving one bag to wilbur and one for himself to carry. Tommy was surprised at the action, or even more the lack of reaction from Wilbur, not protesting when said to carry his stuff.

They went to a few more stores, getting new jeans, sweatpants and even a few turtlenecks wilbur picked out for him.   
They were in their fourth store, Tommy was getting tired and was itching for a smoke. He was looking at some pants when someone bumped into him.

"Oi watch where you're going!" He was getting a deja vu.

"Sorry kid didn't see you there" a scratchy voice said. Beside him stood a curly haired man wearing a pair of see through red glasses and a matching black and red shirt, along with leather pants. 

  
"Eret! Buddy!" He heard someone yell.

  
"Oh Wilbur! What a nice surprise" they clasped hands. Tommy felt very short being cought between the two giant's.

  
"So wacha doing here, i didn't see you in ages where have you been" Will asked the other... boy? Tommy didn't know any boys that dressed like him.

  
"What a drama queen, you've seen me last Monday." He laughed.

  
Wilbur looked at Tommy seeming to forget that he was there for a moment. "Oh, this is Tommy, my new foster brother"

  
The other man put out a hand for him to shake, taking off his glasses. "Hey I'm Eret"

  
Tommy shook his hand. "So what you doing here?" Wilbur asked again.

  
"We went to buy Tubbo a winter jacket but i seem to have lost him in the moment." He said looking around. "And sephora was having a sale so I thought to try get that eyeliner i was looking at for a while"

  
"Nice, anyways good luck with finding Tubbo it was nice seeing you" the curly haired teen said and walked with tommy to the register. 

  
When they were out of the store Phil spoke "I'm gonna go to look for something in electronics for Techno's pc, you can come with-" he looked at tired looking Tommy and Wilbur who was currently holding 5 bags "-or we can regroup in food court." 

"The second one" Wilbur said, putting down the bags and stretching.

"Kay' i won't be long then" He handed them some money and headed the opposite direction. Wilbur's phone chimed, a received message.

  
**[The Blade]**

_Did you apologise yet?_   
_13:25_

_No, i couldn't find the_   
_right moment... :|_   
_13:26_

He was struggling to type and walk at the same time.

_The more you wait_   
_the harder it will be_   
_13:26_

_I know..._   
_13:27_

_I have to go ttyl_   
_13:27_

He put the phone back in his pocket and looked at the food court they were nearing.

  
"Hungry?" Wilbur asked.

  
"No, not really" 

  
"Coffee then" he headed for McCafe, it wasn't much of a line.

  
"Can we sit outside?" Tommy asked looking out. 

  
Wilbur payed for two big coffee's and one McMuffin. He looked outside, the sun was shining and it wasn't as cold a s yesterday. "Sure"

They were at the second floor of the mall, and the food court was extending out with tables and chairs alike to the balcony. When they sat down one across each other, Tommy took out a cigarette.

  
"So you wanted to go outside just so you can smoke" Wilbur sneered.

  
"Yeah so?" He said leaning back in his chair.

  
"Smoking's not good for you, you know" Wilbur scoffed at him

  
"You do it too" Tommy countered.

  
"Yeah, but only when I'm out with friends" 

  
"I don't know why you even care, i thought you hated me" Tommy said.

  
"I dont-" Wilbur sighed "I don't hate you." 

"Look, i'm- sorry that I threatened you when you first came in."

  
"You mean two days ago?" Tommy laughed.

  
"Yes I mean that time two days ago. I just- get a little defensive when it comes to my family" he took off his beanie rubbing his hair.

  
"I get it" Tommy said "Don't worry about it, not the worst someone's done" 

  
At this comment Wilbur frowned. He hadn't read Tommy's file, Phil opting to let him keep his privacy. But he knew about the fucked up shit that happened in the system, not wishing that upon anyone. "Here eat a muffin" he pushed it towards Tommy.

"I'm not hungry i told you" Tommy pushed it back at him.

"You are barely anything at breakfast, just eat it before you pass out or something" Wilbur said looking away.

After he finished his smoke he ate the muffin handed to him. They sipped on their coffee's, and Tommy looked at a few pigeons fly over the parking lot and shit on people's cars. He looked at the group of teenage girls coming from the shopping trip, and he looked at the bored child exiting with his mom. Time passed slowly.

"So, do you like the new school" the overgrown bean sprout asked.

  
Tommy looked at him dumbfounded "I haven't even stepped foot in it" 

  
"I know that dumbass, what do you think by the looks of it?" Wilbur asked again.

  
"I don't know, when does it start?"

  
"Depends on your schedule, but usually around 8 am" he pushed the glasses further up his nose.

  
"I already hate it" Tommy sighed.

  
"Hagahaha mood little man" Wilbur smiled at him. 

A few minutes after Phil came "Let's put the bags in the car, then get done with the grocery shopping and then we can go home yeah?"

  
Tommy's feet already hurt, he didn't know how the other two still functioned. "Yeah, let's get it over with" 

  
They were walking to the car when someone bumped into him, which made him stumble, and pushed him on the handrail which stood between him and the first floor. He didn't fall but his side pushed against the metal, and his bruised chest did as well. Pain shot through him as he began to cough. 

  
Phil rushed to his side "Are you okay do you need to sit down?" He brought a hand around his shoulders for support. "How's your chest, do you want some water?"

  
"Cough- no," a few deep breaths "-just -just give me a minute" they continued to walk to te car after Tommy felt ready. 

  
"We can just go home now if you're not feeling well" Phil offered when they came to the car. "I can pick up painkillers if you want"

  
"No it's fine, I'm feeling better already" he said, then "how did you know my chest was hurt" Tommy said protectively holding himself.

  
"I uh" Phil wasn't sure if to tell the truth, of what Wilbur saw that morning "Your- social worker told me!" He came up with a believable lie

  
"Oh" he said looking at his feet, feeling stupid for worrying. "Well gentleman we going to get those groceries or not?" Tommy said putting on a persona, pushing the tiredness back and hurrying to walk in front of the two.

  
Wilbur who stayed quiet through the hole ordeal chimed in "Yeah, let's get going"

—

They were in the grocery store on the base level of the mall. The trio had a chart and was searching through the aisles. When they came to the snacks and treats section Wilbur grabbed almost every other thing on the shelf. Putting in the cart two big Milka chocolates and at least 6 bags of chips. "Tommy you gonna get something?"

"I can?" He asked with the child like wonder in his eyes. It wasn't like he never ate chips, or that other foster parents never let him tag along when grocery shopping. But he was never allowed to take _ANYTHING_ he wanted. It was always stepping out of the said budget or asking for too much. 

"Sure, pick out anything you like" the older man smiled at him. 

  
Tommy walked over picking out the basic bell pepper flavoured Pringles. They walked to the other aisles, Phil picking up the eggs and milk cartons and all the other stuff. "What's your favorite meal?" Phil asked him.

  
"Uh I don't know" Tommy said looking around him, careful to not bump into someone again. "I usually cook for myself but I don't know if I'm any good at it" he said distracted.

  
"There's no way you can cook" Wilbur teased.

  
"I'd bet, better than you bitch" Tommy responded.

  
Phil just hummed at the two arguing.

  
"Can I get coca cola?" Tommy asked phil, stars in his eyes. 

  
"Sure" Phil went around the corner throwing more stuff in the cart. They went to the checkout, walking to the car again, every one of the boys carrying two bags. They gave Tommy the lighter ones, they weren't gonna make him carry anything but he insisted that _'he's not some weak beta male and could carry a few bags'_

Even speaking like that didn't hide the fact that he was tired. He had spent all his energy, his blood pressure lowering. The ride home was short. After they came home he helped to carry the bags with food to the kitchen and the ones with clothes wilbur took to his room. When they were done Phil went to making lunch and he and Wilbur put on some movie on Netflix. Techno joining them soon after.

Tommy was sitting in one of the armchairs, well sitting was a strong word. He WAS sitting, but with time he was sliding down, and was now laying on his side, his head on one of the arm rests, his body shrunk into ball knees drawn close, hugging a pillow to his chest. He didn't know when his eyes started feeling heavy.

  
—

"He fell asleep" Techno commented.

The movie was nearing its end and they  
we're looking for something else to watch. They had trouble choosing what to watch next when wilbur was more of a romance and drama kind of guy and Techno was more of an action and triler kind of guy. They chose to finally watch the second season of Stranger things.

"He must've been tired after all that walking" he looked at the boy snoring soundly on the armchair. "I don't blame him, I'm drained too" he stretched and yawned.

  
"Did you talk to him" Techno said laying beside Wilbur on the sofa, his head in his lap.

  
"Yes, i apologized to him" Wilbur said running his hands through his locks. He loved his brothers long hair.

  
"That's good" Techno said humming.

  
"We're gonna have to dye your hair again soon" the younger boy said making small braids in his pink locks.

  
Techno looked up at him "if you say so"

The episode was playing in the background, not really paying attention they continued talking. 

  
"What did you do while we were gone?" Wilbur asked.

  
"Nothing much, some homework, played some minecraft with Skeppy and Bad"  
He responded, "and what were You doing when you came back yesterday at midnight" he asked.

  
"Oh i was with Dream..." He looked at the screen, pretending to watch the episode.

  
"Were you now, and what did you do"

  
"You know, geography project..." Will blushed.

  
"Didn't know geography could be so hot" He pointed at the hickey sticking out of his turtleneck. He laughed.

  
"Shut up!" He said putting a hand on his neck.

  
Before Techno could say another thing Phil called them telling them that dinner was ready. 

  
—

  
Tommy stirred awake and went to the table along with the two teens in the room. The room smelled amazing just like this morning. Phil made burgers and fries along with some steamed zucchini on the side. Now that nothing happened the first time he ate dinner, he was more eager to dig in. 

  
"So Tommy tommorow you start school here" Phil said putting more BBQ sauce in his burger.

  
"Seems like i do" he said taking a big bite of the burger. Amazed at the taste 'damn this man can cook' he thought.

  
"Wilbur and Techno will lead you there and someone from the staff will give you your schedule and books, i went to talk with them yesterday."

  
"Mhm" he said eating some more.

  
"Do you have a phone" Phil asked.

  
Now that more half of his burger was obliterated he stopped to take a breath. "I do"

  
Phil was happy to see Tommy eating so well. "I'm gonna give you my number and you can call me when to pick you up after school" 

  
"Can't i just come back with the bus?" He asked trying the zucchini, it was never his favorite but when Phil made it, it was ment to taste better.

  
"Usually yes, but you're new to the neighborhood and Technoblade has practice and Wilbur has club so they can't bring you home."

  
"Oh alright then" he continued eating until the plate was empty. "When do we get up for the bus?" 

  
Wilbur who was talking about something with Techno chimed in "Eh, seven-ish, we have to be at the bus stop half past" He told him.

They finished their meals and he was about to retreat back upstairs.

  
"Tommy" Technoblade stopped him. "Want to watch IT with us?"

He was intending on reading his book, but watching a movie didn't seem so bad. "Sure big T" he said heading over to the living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluffiness and wholesomeness
> 
> Ur gonna hate me for what I have planned out :)


	9. Monday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mondays am i right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the whole Monday one chapter, but it was starting to get long, and i have much more to write in it so I split it off into two chapters.

A ring of his alarm was heard. It was by no means a pleasant melody. Some people are used to waking up like disney princesses with a gentle tune for good morning going through their room. Tommy was not one of those people, his alarm was the typical annoying rhythm. 

He turned it off, reading that it was 6:30. He set it at that time before he knew he was gonna have an avengers movie marathon with the Watson family. They stayed up until around half past two.

  
The rays coming through his window were of low brightness, the sun barely coming out. Tommy dragged himself out of the bed, head hurting from the lack of sleep. He could hear every bone scraping against the other and it was less than plesat.

Tommy had a messed up sleep schedule, that meant sometimes he was up before six and sometimes that meant that he was out until noon. Be it as it is he still didn't like getting up early if it wasn't a natural waking up, the one along the likes of _'i got drunk and fell asleep at eight pm and at six am i was awake because I had slept for 10 hours at that point'_

He searched for a warm piece of clothing to envelop himself in before he stepped out of his room and into the cold hallway. He had chosen the big obnoxious red hoodie he bought the day before, layering it over a black turtleneck the other teen picked out for him. It provided him with an extra layer on warmth. Next he chose a new pair of hole-less baggy or _f_ _lared_ jeans as Wilbur called them. 

He had stuffed the old, and the new sets of clothes in the closet the night before, and emptied the rest of the junk he had in there in the drawer by his table. Leaving only the pencil case, from which he put the money in the bottom of his drawer, and the 4 or 5 notebooks he brought with him, inside. He left the bag by the door as he went to the bathroom, wanting to get to it before the others got up.

  
He done his business and was now washing his face in cold water he looked at the white sink under him, watching as droplets of water fell from his face _'you got this'_ he said to himself. Using the stupid self encouragement lines a school counselor once thought him to do to _"better his confidence"_ he would put it nicely. 

On his way downstairs he picked up his backpack, placing it by the door. Then he reeled to the kitchen. And Phil was already there. "Morning buddy" he said drinking a cup of something.

  
"Morning Phil" Tommy said sitting on the gray bar stool. 

  
"You hungry? Want me to fix you a sandwich?" Phil said already moving to make one.

  
"You don't have to, i don't usually eat breakfast" Tommy stood up from his spot walking over to the fridge.

"I'm just gonna have a can of coke if that's alright big man" he said taking one, sizzling when he opened it. He sat back on his spot.

  
"It's no problem, I'll pack it for you so you can bring it if you feel hungry on your way to school" 

  
He took one big chug of cola, getting his caffeine fix of the morning. "Uh, thanks" Tommy said looking at the man assembling the food.

They small talked about the wether and watched as Wilbur came downstairs. "Where's Techno?" Phil asked him.

  
"I couldn't wake him up, as usual" Wilbur said pouring milk in his cereal, eating while walking around the kitchen.

  
Phil went to try and wake him up. Once the pinkette fell asleep he was out like a baby, and he was a hard sleeper, so if he didn't want to wake up it would be pretty hard to make him.

Wilbur walked to turn on the radio on the countertop. _Downhill_ from Lincoln was heard playing softly. And Tommy watched as the taller male finished his meal and filled up a bottle of water, for school Tommy would guess. The sun slowly climbed up the cloudy sky.

  
After a few moments Phil came back, and ten-ish minutes after him so did the Blade. His hair in a low bun. "Mornin' " he said an a low scratchy voice, obvious that he just woke up.

  
"Morning Techno" Wilbur said finally sitting at the dining table, scrolling through his phone.

  
Speaking of phones Tommy took out his, looking at the time '7:15' it read. He opened it and looked at the new contacts in his phone.

' _Phil Watson ' _  
_' The tall motherfucker' _and  
 _'The Blade ' _

Phil gave him phone numbers from the two brothers just in case something happens.

  
Tommy stretched and felt his back pop with a satisfying crunch "when we're gonna go?" He asked.

  
"Gimmie a minute" Techno grunted, making himself coffee.

Before Tommy knew it he was walking to the bus stop with the two boys. The sky was gray but it wasn't cold, it was a warm 14 Celsius. Aside from an occasional gust of wind, that blew bangs off his face and blew dirt speckles that made his eyes water, that is. He rubbed away a tear like that, itchy feeling uncomfortable. But he didn't mind too much, it was the first time since coming to this town that he didn't feel that cold outside.

  
"You know your schedule yet" Will asked the shorter blond.

  
"I don't" Tommy was climbing on to the bus, trailing behind the others. It was a lot more packed than the other day, meaning that they would have to stand.

  
"Well that sucks" Wilbur said skipping a song on his phone, the other hand resting on the metal poll above Tommy's head. The earbud wires entangled around the buttons on his black coat, and the beanie he was wearing was a different one than the day before. 

  
"Yeah..." Tommy sighed, he hated crowds. And although Wilbur had apologised about his previous actions he still didn't like the man towering over him. He felt trapped between the taller figure and the glass bus doors, but.

Even when the bus bumped on some hole on the road Tommy could at least take comfort in the fact that he could still distract himself by watching the streets pass by. Trees were turning into a blur and he couldn't see the people walking their dogs. Another bump in the road _'at least it won't be a long ride'_ he thought.

—

_'Well i was fucking wrong'_ Tommy thought after getting off the bus, the Monday morning traffic has extended their journey, dreadfully so.

 _'no wonder we were leaving for school half an hour before'_ it was another 10 minutes untill class officially started, as Techno had informed him. They were walking to the front of the school now. A significant number of students were in front of it, a shit ton of people if Tommy could name them.

Tommy spotted a group of Wilbur's friends and he was about to walk over when he felt a pulling on his hood, almost choking him. 

  
"Hey! Why'd you do that?" He whined when he stumbled along.

  
"No time" It was Wilbur pulling him inside the building. 

  
As Tommy had forgotten, he had to pick up his schedule and books and all that crap. The inside of the school wasn't as crowded, only few groups of students littering the halls. But it was still enough people for Tommy having to stick close to Wilbur. 

They went into the office on the second floor. And Wilbur soon handed him a shit ton of books, he almost fell forward when the bundle of papers was handed to him. And perfectly on top of the pile a slip of paper with a schedule. _'English?'_ he read, it was the first class he had today. 

When he looked up from the paper, he noticed that Wilbur had disappeared. Leaving him to find the classroom 142 all on his own.

He walked to the side of one of the less crowded hallways to stuff the books into his bag. He almost couldn't lift the backpack off the ground, but when he did the bell had already rung. And the halls were empty except for a few students late for class, he was now one of them actually.

Tommy stood there looking at the last nervous pupil run buy, he was too lazy to ask for directions, and in all honesty he didn't care that much for the first class. So he took a step forward to check the number, from door to door, to see if he could at least show attendance even if not on time.

  
From the corner of his eye he could see a figure approaching _'wait it's going kinda fast isn't it?'_ he thought as he felt an impact to his side. This time he stumbled to the floor, the weight of his backpack didn't help.

  
"Yo twat! Watch where you're going!" Tommy yelled at the person on the floor beside him.

  
"Well maybe you shouldn't have stood in the middle of the hallway idiot!" The boy yelled back to him. Getting up.

  
"Well maybe YOU shouldn't have SPRINTED down the hallway like a headless fly!" Tommy left the bag on the floor, he couldn't bother to pick it up right now. His side hurt from the impact and he was fucking pissed. The blond got up and into the guy's face, pointing an accusing finger at his chest.

  
Event through the guy was taller and bulkier than the scrawny kid Tommy was, Tommy wouldn't let some _'brainless nimrod'_ walk all over him.

  
Before the argument got out of control one of the teachers came out of the classroom closest to them. "What's all this noise?" She looked annoyed.

  
"He just fuckin' toppled me onto the ground!" Tommy said pointing to the other boy.

  
"Language young man! I don't care who started it, go on head to class now you're making too much noise!" She looked at the nameless person accusingly.

  
The said person wore a frown on his face when he turned around to leave, but before he walked way he said in a tone only Tommy could hear "this isn't over" 

  
"And you? You're just going to keep standing there like a lost puppy?" The teacher turned to speak to the blond, armed crossed on her chest.

  
"Uh yeah? I don't know where to go?"  
He said picking up the backpack off the ground.

  
"How do you not know?" She asked in an accusing tone.

  
"I just transferred." He answered.

  
The teacher seemed to be thinking as she had stopped talking "Oh, the transfer. I have you 3rd period, Ms. Duncan" 

Tommy thought of the chances of the teacher finding him fighting in the hallway to be his teacher. And that same teacher looking like she was born with a stick in her arse. He stayed quiet through, waiting for her to continue speaking.

  
"What classroom is your class in, I'll help you find it?" 

  
Tommy responded and she led him up the flight of stairs and to the door of the said class. "I have to go back to my class now, you should hurry in"

  
In all reality he was probably 10 minutes or so late, but it seemed like an hour went by. He knocked on the dark wooden door, full of scratches and parts of chipped wood. 

  
"Sorry I'm late I was lost" he said rubbing his neck and looking at his shoes.

  
"Don't worry, introduce yourself!" The male teacher in a Metallica shirt and glasses said.

  
"I'm Tommy, i just moved here." He said looking at the class.

  
The teacher looked at him, like expecting him to continue "- um well you can take a seat next to... Toby" he said when he saw that Tommy didn't intend to continue.

Tommy looked at the third row table near the window, where a brown haired boy in a black and and purple hoodie sat. He was looking at him, but then again, most of the class was. So he went over to sat beside him.

"Let's resume the lesson" the voice of the teacher was heard.

  
When he sat down the brunette was still looking at him "hi! You can call me Tubbo" he smiled at him

  
"Hi, uh it's Tommy" Tommy was a little confused by the enthusiasm of the other. 'Who the fuck was that happy in school?'

  
"So how come you transferred in the middle of the year? School usually doesn't allow that" Toby or Tubbo whatever his name is, starts making small talk.

  
Tommy wasn't about to spill his whole life story to the guy he just met, so he answers him shortly "just moved here" 

  
" 's that so" Tubbo answers.

  
"Yup" Tommy nodded and tried to look at the board.

  
It wasn't that Tommy wasn't friendly, or that Tubbo was annoying _'well he is a little annoying'_ it was just that Tommy was tired. His side hurt and his head felt heavy. His eyes were unfocused and time seemed to pass slowly.

  
"-ey, -Hey" a hand passed in front of his face. Tubbo was calling him, he realised. He must've spaced out, he seemed to do that a lot lately. 

  
"What?" He groaned at the boy, swatting the hand away from his face.

  
"The class will end soon, what do you have next period?" He whispers to him.

  
"Eh, i don't know..." He looks at the already rippled paper of his schedule "...history?" 

  
"What teacher?" He asked further

  
"Johnson?" 

  
Tommy could see Tubbo's mouth moving but all he could hear was the ringing of the bell, signaling the end of the class. "Whot?" Tommy asked him, to repeat himself because all he heard were indistinct sounds from the other.

"I said, we have the next class together!" He smiled packing his stuff "wanna walk to the classroom with me?"

  
"Sure" He considered his choices of being being lost and angering another teacher and having the shorter boy as his guide, it was clear which was more favorable. He didn't seem the least bit intimidating, and he was actually kinda friendly _'well, a LOT friendly'_ but he was seemingly nice, and that was good enough for Tommy.

  
They walked on the black and white tiled section of the hallway, "so when did you move here?"

  
"Last Friday" it's been only 3 days since coming to Brighton, but it seemed much longer. Lot of things had happened in the past few days.

  
"Do you have any siblings?" Tubbo questioned, continuing to make small talk.

  
Tommy thought about that question, _'are we siblings, you could say so... But then again, not really'_ "you could say so" he kept his answers vague.

  
"I have a sibling too! They're called Eret!"

  
' _Eret, Eret, Eret... That name sounds familiar'_ Tommy has never had good memory, often forgetting names and events. _'oh he was that guy, at the mall, Wilbur's friend...'_

"Oh i did meet him! He's friends with Wilbur"

  
"You know Wilbur?"

  
"Um yeah, I've seen him around. Well anyways Eret's your brother?" He asked surprised, they seemed nothing alike.

  
"Well Eret's my sibling actually not brother, they're non binary, go by they/their" Tubbo explained to the other.

  
"Okay, so your sibling. I can't believe you're related!" He didn't really understand they/them stuff but he rolled with it.

They came to the classroom, and sat down to their resigned seats. Tubbo was surprisingly easy to talk to, he didn't speak short one word sentences like Techno. And he didn't glare at him like Wilbur did sometimes. Aside from the shorter stumbling over his words a few times over he seemed like a pretty chill guy.

"Why? Don't the good looks run in the family?" He struck a pose, one hand under his chin in a finger gun motion, eyes closed.

  
"Oh my God shut up dude" Tommy laughed and lightly pushed the other one.

  
"What? Aren't i just dashing?" He continued with the bit, making Tommy laugh harder.

  
When he finally took in a breath he said "No i didn't recognize you're siblings because you're just-" he laughed once more

  
"Just what?" Tubbo laughed.

  
"-just so INCREDIBLY SHORT dude, like how even???" He laughed in in high pitch.

  
Tubbo pretended like he was pouting pushed him too "shut up, I'm not THAT short" 

  
"You definitely are, have you seen yourself in the mirror?" then he stopped for a moment looking serious 

"oh wait I forgot-" he said in that exact tone, then-

"-you can't REACH IT!" he started another fit of laughter, even lauder than the last one

  
Even if the joke was on Tubbo's account, he started giggling at the taller ones antics.

  
"BOYS!" an unfamiliar voice said.

"The class has started! If you'd like to continue chatting I'll gladly send you outside" the angry looking teacher said.

  
"Sorry" Tubbo apologised for both of them. 

Tommy didn't even realize when the classroom filled up and the teacher started preaching in front of the whiteboard. And that the lesson started.

So they continued speaking, but in a much lower tone. "Can you give me your schedule? So we can see how many classes we have together" the brunette whispered.

"Yeah sure let me get it" along with it out of the bag he pulled out the books needed for this class, but as it seemed he wouldn't be needing much of them this period as he wouldn't be working much of the classwork. He would much rather be chatting with the round faced teen sitting beside him.

  
He handed him the paper "Oh dude you're fucked, you have Ms. Duncan in Chemistry next period, she's such a bitch" he described.

  
"I did get that feeling from her you know"

  
"Don't even get me started, i had her last year" he sighed.

And then continued "we have like, 8ish? Classes together, which is quite a lot! And what's even better we have the same homeroom! That teacher's the best! He's called Mr. Becker, and has a beard and a shaved head, and..." Tubbo rambled on. It seemed like it was a tendency of his.

They continued chatting, and the class soon came to a pass. Tubbo roughly explained to him how to find his next class and where everything was, some of his explaining made Tommy even more confused but he didn't tell that to the other.

"Hey so I have a block of P.E. now but imma pick you up after and we can head to the cafeteria together yeah?" Tubbo said as he hurried down the hallway.

Tommy was left looking as the boy disappeared into the crowd. He looked once again on his schedule _'Block of Chemistry and then a break, i can do this! Right?'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things aren't always what they seem so keep reading!
> 
> Again I'm sorry for the late update, school's really beating me into the point the last week.
> 
> Running like a headless fly is running recklessly and not looking where you're going, idk if a saying like this exist in english language but it was the comparison that spoke to me lol


	10. Monday still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy, tubbo, lunch, what is more to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Saw the 1s in the comments, hope the longer chapter helps!

Tommy dreaded Chemistry, he didn't know if he just had bad teachers or shit but he didn't understand one bit of the subject. The class went by slow and seemed to last much more than the 90 minutes it was. She took away their break between classes in a false promise of letting them off earlier. His stomach started rumbling and his whole upper body was glued on the table, his cheek resting on the smooth surface.

The clock ticked and he stretched, his arms going off the table. Tommy lifted his head and looked at the board filled with formulas he had already written down. His books lay beside him, as he was sitting alone he had more than enough space to extend his mess onto the doubled space.

He tried to focus further on the subject but failed as soon as Ms. Duncan continued speaking. Each sentence, more confusing than the last. _'At least I wrote it all down'_ Tommy tried thinking of positives.

He was bored to death by the time the lesson was over. He felt as if, if he looked at any sort of written language in that moment he wouldn't be able to process it, which would leave him just staring blankly at the page like a mindless idiot. The ring of the bell signaling the end of the class was music to his ears. The happiness for the sound was stronger than the pain of ringing causing his headache to pulsate.

  
He hurried to get out when someone stopped him "Thomas, a word?" The teacher gestured for him to come closer. He sighed and gave in.

"I have some papers and tasks for you to finish by the next lession, to help you catch up to the rest of the class" she smiled as if she was doing him a favor when she handed him a bundle of 30 or so papers 'is she fucking serious'

"All of this?! By next week???" He said his tone rising an octave.

  
"Is that going to be a problem?" She asked giving him a sharp look.

  
Tommy knew better than to fight with a teacher "no ma'am" he sighed again and took the bundle in his hands.

  
"Solve the tasks and copy it in your notebook, it's the work we have gone through since the year started." She explained.

  
"I will" he said and walked out the classroom.

Out of the door he spotted a short brunette boy looking around, his plain black backpack hanging over one shoulder in a casual manner. When their eyes met, the boy was already walking to him.

  
"You look like you've been run over by a bus" the brown haired boy noted.

  
"I might as well have" Tommy showed the bundle of papers in his hands.

  
"Typical Ms. Duncan" he laughed.

  
"I'm glad my misery is amusing to you" he sighed for the third time in the last five minutes.

  
"Aw it's not that bad, let's go get lunch" Tubbo said gesturing down the hallway as he started walking.

  
"Are we allowed to go outside during the lunch break?" He asked reaching for the pack.

  
"I mean we are, but my friends saved us the seats in the cafeteria, why?" They pushed by the herds of students heading in the same direction.

  
 _'later then'_ Tommy dropped his hand "no reason, just curious" 

Soon enough they saw the double doors that were wide open, and the other side a tremendous cafeteria _'i knew this school was big but fuck me'_

They walked to one of the round gray tables that already had four other people sitting at it. "Hey guys!" Tubbo said sitting down, Tommy following.

"This is the Tommy!" He said making hand gestures.

  
"Hi" Tommy said with a small wave.

  
The people around the table then began introducing themselves. He found that the blond wearing sunglasses and gloves inside, was called Ranboo. And that the plain looking boy sitting on his right side, eating a cupcake, was called Jack Manifold. 

The person wearing a hoodie of similar colour as Tubbo's was named Grayson but liked to be called Purpled as _'it sounds way cooler'_ , his words. And beside him sat a girl with long tan hair and cute eyeliner, called Alyssa.

"I'm gonna go get food, you want anything?" Tubbo said getting up again.

  
Tommy looked at him, considering between going with him and staying put "No i got a sandwich, thanks" he was tired and didn't want to get up and stand in line for who knows how much time.

  
"Okay then, be back in a minute" Tubbo then left Tommy alone with the others.

  
"So Tommy, do you know which club you're gonna join?" Alyssa asked taking a bite of the pasta they were serving in the cafeteria that day.

  
"I donno, is it mandatory?" His stomach hurt, growling but Tommy wasn't feeling hunger. And overall he didn't feel up to chewing and swallowing mushy food and feeling bloated after. 

  
"Unfortunately" said the Purpled guy.

  
"Well what clubs do you lot go to?" He said, feeling a little out of place without Tubbo. Which was a little bit ironic given that he had only met him about two hours prior than the rest of his friends.

  
The indoor sunglasses guy started speaking "Well Tubbo, Alyssa and me are going to the superior athletics and gymnastics club! And those two dweebs-" 

he pointed to the guy Tommy already forgot the name of and the one named Purpled "-are in the debate club"

  
 _'huh didn't take Tubbo for the sports-type of person'_

  
"You wouldn't think so on the first look would you hahaha" said a voice behind him.

 _'did i say that out laud?'_ he thought, this time taking a hand to his face checking that no words were leaving his mouth.

The voice behind him turned out to be Tubbo, he was carrying a tray with a portion of pasta with salsa, a portion of salad on the side along with an orange and a juice box. And was now again sitting beside him. 

  
"You HAVE to see him on the trampoline! He is probably going to be entering professional competitions this spring!" The sunglasses guy continued speaking, and trailed off with another story on the same topic with the people beside him.

  
Tubbo started eating and saw Tommy empty handed still "where's your sandwich" he asked him.

  
Tommy did not want to explain his bullshit reasoning to this happy-go-lucky trampoline boy and ruin his day, because _'oh yeah I'm too lazy to chew food also i feel like food is a waste of time and I don't even like eating on most of the days because it makes me feel shitty, which doesn't make sense but I'm not crazy i swear'_

"I um" _'am i crazy?'_ he wondered "already ate it" the rest of the group was busy with their own conversations to contradict his statement.

  
"Already?" Tubbo asked surprised, he wasn't gone for that long, five minutes at most.

  
"Yup, was super hungry after that fucking chemistry" Tommy said "speaking of, are you any good at it?"

  
"At chemistry?" Tubbo laughed as he munched on his lunch.

  
"Yea" Tommy said, a hint of hope in his voice.

  
"I'm jack shit at it dude, the only reason I'm passing is because of Karl" 

  
"Who's that?" Tommy said fiddling with his fingers.

  
"Karl is an upperclassmen that tutors me and some of his classmates from time to time, but he's hella funny and actually a good friend of mine" Tubbo was peeling an orange and rambling at the same time.

  
"Lucky you i guess, i don't know how the fuck am i going to do the shit load of papers that brain dead teacher gave me" he groaned.

  
"Well if you want I can call Karl and see if he's free one day of the week and us two can help you go over the paperwork together" Tubbo smiled at him and Tommy couldn't help but to smile as well. Yeah, it was just a small favour, it was not a concrete promise. But it was an _'i will try'_ and that's what made Tommy smile. 

Tommy wasn't very trusting and although he didn't like to admit it he wasn't the best at connecting with the people. It comes with being in the sistem for as long as Tommy has been, not trusting people was the best option to stay alive and stay sane. Because, one thing worse than people hurting you, was people you trusted hurting you. Not only physically, that shit fucks you up mentally.

So when Tommy felt so connected to one person in that short amount of time he didn't know wether to be happy or scared. Happy because of the obvious reasons, and scared for the less obvious, but still clear reasons.

  
"You'd do that?" Tommy asked, a little part of him was expecting Tubbo to say _'lol just kidding do it yourself pussy'_

  
"Yeah, let me text him right now" he took out his phone and began typing, and typing, and typing. _'what is he writing? His will?'_ Tommy thought.

  
"You sure are typing there big guy" Tommy remarked.

  
"Oh i forgot, you don't know, i have like really bad dyslexia. So I'm a really shit reader and speller and all"

  
"Really? How does that look?" Tommy said, intrigued.

  
"Like all the letters look jumbled and out of place, or when I read a block of text i loose sight of what sentence i was reading really easily and stuff" Tubbo explained still typing. "Does this look okay?" He showed the screen to Tommy.

  
Tommy looked at the message app and the text that was sent, with several speaking mistakes. "It's readable yeah" he nodded.

  
"Great then!" He said putting the phone facing up on the table "now that we are at it, can you give me your number?" He put his head in his hands looking at the blue eyed boy.

  
Tommy thought about it, and went to type in his number. They wouldn't be able to meet up and take care of Chemistry if they couldn't get in touch with him "here" He handed Tubbo his phone back, "I'm sorry my phone's a little pre-historic and glitches sometimes, so if you can't phone me, it's probably that"

  
"It's fine, don't worry" Tubbo said.

  
Tommy saw Minx heading out of the cafeteria with Schlatt, and he decided to follow. The third head of brown curls was lost in the crowd.

  
"Hey i gotta go to the bathroom but see you next class yeah?" He got up grabbing his backpack with him.

  
"Hope you don't get lost haha, see you" Tubbo and Ranboo waved him off.

—

It was lunch and Wilbur was sitting with his friends. And was once again texting. Before long a trio entered the cafeteria, and Wilbur waved them down. Sapnap quickly ran over and the other two were pushing each other and came over slower, tripping over their feet.

Sapnap adjusted his bandana and squished himself in-between a boy wearing a beanie and the boy named Karl, putting both arms around their shoulders "sup mamas" 

The group went on to greet each other and Wilbur continued to look at the other two boys who were yet to sit down. One had dark brown hair and big white framed sunglasses atop his head, he was sporting a gray supreme hoodie and plain black sweats, his blue and brown eyes looking up at the taller figure

The other boy was the cause of the reddening on Wilbur's face. He was wearing a dark green nike sweatshirt with a small black nike logo placed where his heart was, making it match with his plain looking pair of black Air force sneakers. Half of his face was covered with a black face mask but anyone with a gift of sight could tell that he was handsome, the green eyes and the blond hair would make anyone fall head over heels for him.

The shorter boy broke off to stand in line and the football quarterback came to sit beside Wilbur, leaving space for the other boy when he came back. "Hey guys" he spoke.

  
"So why'd George look like he was about to bite your head off when he went to stood in line" Minx asked, cutting right to the chase.

  
"Oh we flipped a coin who's gonna stand in the line to get us food and he lost, again." Dream chuckled.

  
"How's he even gonna hold three trays, that idiot can't balance if his life depended on it" Quackity asked showing off Sapnap's arm off of him.

  
"I'm sure our gogy will manage" Dream said loudly, looking over to the said man standing in line, currently flipping him off.

  
Wilbur watched the interaction, with longing eyes. He tapped the blond on the shoulder. And even through he wasn't being quiet the background nose of the rowdy cafeteria was enough to cover the ears of others, only being heard by those closest to him "so what's up" 

  
Dream averted his stare and looked at the brunette. "Oh nothing, just looking at the idiot making a fool out of himself" he chuckled his head pointing to the figure in line.

  
"Oh, he's the fool now" Wilbur teased as he shuffled closer, shoulder to shoulder, almost whispering in his ear.

  
Dream put a hand on his ear, blushing under his mask " _WILBUR!_ " He said a little louder than wanted. But no body really turned to check out their bickering.

  
Wilbur stretched across the table, turning to face the boy, one elbow on the table and his head in it. Looking at him mischievously "I'm just teasing" he laughed.  
  
"Also, i was wondering if you're free this Sunday, i need help with geography homework" Wilbur and Dream both knew this wasn't about geography, as Wilbur was on top of their class when it came to it. 

  
"You? Geography?" Dream coughed, trying to regain his composure. 

  
"And my house is empty" he added with his signature smile that made the coldest hearts warm.

  
"How so, your house is never empty? Also I thought you got a new foster brother" he said placing his forearms on the table, and leaning forward a bit, closer to Wilbur.

  
"It never is, but Techno is having a movie marathon with Bad and Skeppy and Phil needs to go to do some errands with the gremlin child so they're going to be outside almost all day" he said not taking his brown eyes off the green ones.

"You can sleep over, and we can go to school together on Monday?" He added "if you want"

  
"Well how can I refuse when you're being so adorable?" He poked the middle of his forehead in a pushing motion "now eat your lunch, you can't survive on sugar packets alone you know" Wilbur grumbled but finished off what was left on his plate.

Dream then looked to the side and stood abruptly. Rushing to help George with all the trays, for all his talk he didn't favour the outcome where boy ended up falling face first into their food. He took two of the trays and they went back to the table.

"You guys are assholes" George said sitting down with the rest of the people at the table.

  
"Shut up you love us" Dream laughed at him.

  
Only Wilbur would notice the slightest bit of redness on George's face when he said that "You wish" he tried laughing it off.

George took the spot where Dream was previously sitting and sat beside Wilbur, the curly haired giant on his left side and the blond now sitting on his right. It wasn't the most favourable sitting arrangement if you asked Wilbur.

The round table they chose was pretty big and even with that factor, it was now getting pretty tight and stuffy at it. It now had Wilbur, Schlatt, Minx, Quackity, Sapnap, Karl, George and Dream sitting at it in that exact order going clockwise. So some of the members were about to go and make some room at it.

They were 20 minutes in their 40 minute lunch break and most of them were done with their food, which meant that Wilbur had nothing to distract himself with. Leaving him trying to not notice the heart eyes Dream was making at George. He tried tuning in Quackity's conversation about a new fnaf release, but he had no real interest in the topic and his eyes settled on George.

  
Wilbur didn't necessarily hate the shorter male, he wasn't a bad person. Although he could be annoying sometimes Wilbur didn't hate him. He was just _envious_ of him, needless to say that his heart ached every time Dream looked at him with those love filled eyes. And what was worse, was that he knew that George looked at him with the same type of stare. The two idiots were too stupid to realise it and Wilbur was too selfish to tell them.

He loved Dream, and he wanted him to be happy, but it just hurt too much for him to let go of something he wanted to have so bad.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by Schlatt who was now standing. He had put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention "hey, me and the wicked witch of the west over here-" he pointed to the girl standing beside him, 

who kicked him below the knee after she heard the nickname "-are gonna go out for a smoke, you coming with us?" 

  
Wilbur was looking where Dream had wrapped his hand around George's waist, and felt himself sink just a little bit deeper "no, you guys go without me"

  
Schlatt followed his gaze and sat down beside him again, legs facing outwards this time making it easier for just Wilbur to hear him "come on Will, you'll feel better if you go outside and get some fresh air yeah?" He knew the expression on Wilbur's face, and knew that nothing good was going on in his head.

"No, Jay i don't wanna get up" he buried his face in his hands, trying to rub out a few tears that were gathering in his eyes.

"You okay Wilby?" Dream asked seeing the behaviour of the other.

And upon hearing the voice, Wilbur put what Schlatt knew was, a fake smile and said "yeah, yeah I'm just tired" 

his voice trembled a little and he coughed, looking at Schlatt "I'm gonna go get some coffee" 

He got up, along with the other boy and started walking out of the cafeteria. Dream didn't need to know he wasn't planning on going back to that table.

—

  
Tommy ran to catch up with what he thought were two, were now three figures walking out of the cafeteria.

"Hey guys" he said in that energetic tone to catch attention of the group.

  
"Oh great you were just what was missing on top of the perfect day" Wilbur said when he saw the mess of blond hair running behind them.

  
"Well you aren't exactly easy on the eyes either Wilbur" Tommy retorted.

  
"Sup kiddo, how's your first day going so far?" Minx said before Wilbur could say another thing.

  
Tommy walked along with them "just fucking terrible let me tell you Minx" he felt proud that he had remembered her name, as those weren't exactly his strong suit. "I'm itching for a smoke already"

  
"Well you're in luck as we were just about to go out for the same reason" Schlatt tuned in the conversation. 

They walked outside and he continued walking, "as I'm sure you know, smoking in school grounds is prohibited, but here's the catch" 

he walked over to the end of the cement path in front of the scho and stood on the line where pavement stopped and a line of trees began 

"this is where the school ends and the street begins, so this is considered public property and we aren't going to get in trouble for smoking beyond this line" Schlatt explained thoroughly, laughing amused at he loop in law.

  
"Poggers man" Tommy said and went to sit on the dry patch of leaves, not caring if his pants got a little dirty.

  
The others followed, Wilbur caring a bit more and putting on his coat under him to not mess up his pants, Minx taking advantage of this and sitting on the coat also.

"What does that mean" she asked.

  
"What does what mean?" Tommy said searching for his pack of smokes.

  
"Poggers, i think i heard you use that word before" she explained.

  
"Well in literal _POG_ means _'play of game'_ and from that comes poggers which means" he light up the cigarette and took a drag "something by the sorts of cool or great" he explained.

  
"Oh, pog then" Minx laughed and Wilbur just sighed.

  
" _Play of game_? Does that mean you're some kind game nerd?" Schlatt asked.

  
"No, i wish. I haven't got a computer in my last home so I didn't have chances to become a beloved dweeb" Tommy sighed dramatically.

  
"Well if yer interested we have the informatics club here at school, it is counted as a class because it's led by a teacher so you get extra points for being in it" Minx mentioned.

  
"Ah i do have to join a club don't i?" He whined.

  
"Oh i forgot to tell you that" Wilbur said putting his head on Minx's shoulder. But she didn't seem to mind.

  
"Yeah the fuck you did! You fucking disappeared on me this morning!" He would have yelled if he didn't feel the nicotine kick in and his head sway. He put one hand on the ground behind him, as he was sitting in a cross-leg position he leaned on the hand and his head tilted upwards.

'but man does it hit nicely on an empty stomach' he thought and swayed further, taking a moment to appreciate before taking another breathful.

  
"Sorry i had biology test and needed to hurry" Wilbur responded, not seeming a other least bit sorry.

  
"And then after that, i got fucking lost and got yelled at by the teacher!" he made hand gestures, smoke dancing around his fingertips.

  
"Well my day's not going so fucking great either buddy, so shut the fuck up and stop whining, you're giving me a headache!" He said trying to sound louder and more intimidating than he actually was in that moment. He buried his head further into Minx's shoulder, taking a hand to hide his face.

From which Minx responded by rubbing circles on his back.

  
"Can you give me a smoke?" Wilbur asked in a small defeated voice.

She handed him one and the conversation changed topic as they spent the rest of their break outside.

—

When Tommy returned to class he was more relaxed than when he was at the cafeteria table. He was almost late again, for which he could only blame the black spots in his vision when he climbed began climbing the stairs. However hopeless his life had seemed, when he stepped into the dusty student-filled classroom, it didn't seem so bad when he remembered that he had only three hours of school and he could go home. _'and maybe nap'_

Tommy's next period was geography and it was one of the classes he shared with Tubbo. And he should've guessed that the dyslexic boy had as much talent in reading navigation charts as he had typing texts. Surprisingly, the forty five class minutes, spent in little to no silence filled moments, flew by pretty quickly.

  
After the bell rung, Tubbo pointed him to the gymnasium and walked off to his last class. _'lucky bastard'_ Tommy thought as he saw him the brown haired boy walk with a bounce in his step.

He walked by the changing room, his eyebrow furrowing at the meare thought of the room. He entered the open door next to it, a large gymnasium with a few students in it. The teacher still nowhere to be found, Tommy sat down on one of the benches _'i don't have the proper sportswear anyway'_ what's the point in standing up when he's not even going to play.

A beanie crossed his vision and before he knew it a short, black haired boy, with a blue beanie was sitting, a little too close for comfort, beside him. 

"¿que pasa, carne fresca?" He said with a smile. His black eyes darted to Tommy, who was currently trying to shuffle some distance between him and the unknown person. 

  
"¿Quién eres y qué estás haciendo?" His words slurred a bit as Spanish was a little rusty. But if you asked Tommy it was his second language.

  
The boy looked at him surprised, obviously not expecting the other to respond in Spanish or even to understand him. "Wow your Spanish is really good man, I'm Quackity!" He outstretched his hand to Tommy.

Tommy looked the boy over one more time and took the hand in his "Tommy" he said shortly.

  
"I haven't seen you before in this class, you new?" He asked, as if geneunly curious.

  
"Yeah-"

  
He was about to continue when he was interrupted by the gym teacher yelling for all of them to line up. The boy, _'Quackity'_ he tried to remember, stood up straight and ran over to his place near the back of the line.

The P.E. teacher had salt and pepper colored hair, and more than a few smile lines. You could see he was nearing fifty but he was of great shape. His tone and the fearfull faces of his students reminded Tommy of a miletary man he once saw on the street.

Tommy explained to his teacher that his gym uniform was yet to arrive as it was his first day there, and the teacher was somewhat understanding. When they were led to run laps outside he made Tommy join the rest of the class, in a promise that it would be the only exercise he would have to do that day "it will be good for you to stretch your legs and move a little kiddo" he said.

So when they were outside and running, Tommy was one of the first ones to finish running all the six laps. He was mighty fast when he wanted to be, and when he wanted to be over with this and sit for the rest of the class.

The first three laps were easy and he was fastest, one the fourth and fifth he heard Quackity yelling something along the lines "bastardo rápido" and grasping for air.

And by the sixth lap he was in the same state as him, his head was feeling dizzy and his lungs began to give out. When he stopped he almost collapsed to the ground, coughing wet coughs.

He felt as if his turtleneck was choking him, and his throat was dry. He could run fast, but his durability was shit _'the smoking probably didn't help'._

  
"That was good uh-" teacher searched for words.

  
"-Tommy" he added.

  
"Right, that was good Tommy, you can go sit down now" 

  
"Can I go drink some water?" Tommy ashed, and looked at the rest of the class still running.

  
"Sure" he was writing something in a notebook, already distracted with something else.

Tommy picked up his backpack and headed to the toilets he saw on the way there. He stopped only because of another fit of coughs. When he finally got to where he was heading, he was breathing heavily. He quickly got in one of the stalls and took off the red hoodie, swiping the sweat that formed on his forehead. And after it, followed the black turtleneck.

He felt himself finally breathe, with is bare back against the cold stall door he brought up his shaky hands to his elbows, scratching. It was concerning how easily Tommy spiraled into panic when he had no control over his own body. 

_'first day's are always hard'_ he told himself _'just take a deep breath'_ he instructed himself. A deep shaky inhale, and exhale followed. After a few more repeated motions, he stuffed the turtleneck in his bag. When he did so he noticed the unesten sandwich he had in the bottom of the bag, he looked at it and took it out. Before he exited the stall he pulled over the hoodie over his head again.

He threw up the sandwich in the trash and splashed his face with cold water. Then he came back to the gym. Feeling tiredness deep in his legs.

  
He was soon back to sitting on the bench. Class soon came to a close and all but one of the boys headed to the changing room. Quackity approached him, the look of _i-am-so-done-with-this-shit_ plastered on his face.

"Hey man, did you notice how much of a bitch that teacher was, or was it just me?" He said with a sigh.

  
"Nope just you" Tommy said picking up his backpack off of the floor.

  
"Really? Well, anyways. You seem like a pretty chill dude, hope I see you around tío" Quackity waved and went his way.

—

By the time the last period was oblver Tommy was ready to pass out. He was somewhat happy that it was Phil picking him up and that he didn't have to ride that God awful bus again, especially during rush hour.

He sent Phil a text an hour prior, telling him when his classes ended. And an hour after he got a 

  
I'm in front of the school

Text from Phil. He spotted the what he was almost sure was Phil's car, and started walking to it. When he saw the blond man in the driver's seat he entered the seat beside him, this time sitting in the front.

"hey buddy" Phil said with a smile. Driving out of the schools pick up spot.

  
"Hi Phil" He was dressed differently than usual. He had a pale blue blouse and what Tommy would call _'serious pants'_ and the same jacket he wore the day before.

  
"How was your day?" Phil asked.

  
"Eh it was okay" Tommy looked out the window, not feeling up to talking.

  
"What about your teachers? You like them?" The car had stopped moving as the traffic light was shining red.

  
"They were okay, except that chemistry bitch that gave me thirty pages of homework, and the gym teacher that made me run even though I didn't have a PE uniform" he said absent mindedly.

  
"They made you run?" Phil asked a little concerned.

  
"Yeah" Tommy said.

Phil made a mental note to himself to call the school and excuse Tommy from exercise until his ribs healed.

They arrived home in under 15 minutes. Tommy rushed to his room and plopped on his bed. Sleep coming easily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating for the past week. My phone broke and I was in the process of getting a new one, and mix that with the full swing of my mental health deteriorating last two weeks it took me a little more to get the chapter out.
> 
> Good thing about it is that I write the best chapters when I'm depressed, when I bring myself to write that is, lol.


	11. Wednesday, and just Wednesday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Wednesday my dudes. Time for chemestry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God this is a long one ain't it folks

Tuesday went pretty same as Monday, the only blessing being he had significantly less classes than the day before. Only four in fact. He hanged with Tubbo most of the day, Tommy thought he was a little oblivious at first but he found that he was actually pretty observant. Not that he told Tommy everything he figured out about him, but enough for Tommy to notice to keep some distance between the two. 

For an example he knew just from the way Tommy held stuff in his left hand that two of his fingers had been broken in the past. On first glance you couldn't tell but on closer inspection you could see that the thumb on his left hand had less of a reach than the one on his right, or how his index finger was just slightly more curled inwards than it was supposed to. It had happened in one of his previous foster homes when one of the other foster boys slammed his hand in-between the door and its frame. It hurt _'like a bitch'_ if he could add, but it wasn't anything Tommy hadn't felt before, it was fractured and the tissue around it swelled up so he couldn't feel the damaged bone. And he could still move the two fingers, not as much as he could've had they not been damaged, but he could still move them. He thought they were fine so he didn't get it checked and so he didn't get a cast, and the healing process hurt more than it should've. And when they did heal, they didn't heal in the right way, leaving them a little crooked.

_(Based on a true story, me accidentally breaking my finger I'm sorry)_

Tobbo noticed stuff even Tommy didn't notice about himself, he noticed the slight shift in his demeanour when food was mentioned. He noticed Tommy couldn't sit still for the life of him, always fidgeting and so on. And those were all the stuff Tubbo told him, what he noticed and didn't tell him were the ones that worried Tommy. As much as Tubbos chocolate eyes looked warm and comforting they had the same look of a radiologist searching for a tumor on an x-ray picture, the person like the picture had little signs that were for the naked eye unnoticeable. Tommy was glad Tubbo seemed like a good person because if he decided to use the information he gathered in a malicious intent, he was sure he could bring social ruin on anyone he wanted to.

But Tubbo was nice, and he schueduled for him, Tommy and the Karl person to try and solve the mess that was his Chemistry homework. They were supposed to meet at Tubbos after school on a Wednesday as Karl was free that day.

Phil gave him permission to go when Tommy asked, and assured him that he didn't have to ask as long as he sent him a message of where he was going and picked up the phone if Phil called. Phil was yet to set a strict cerfew, seeing as his son came home in all hours of the night. _'But then again Wilbur was eighteen'_ Tommy thought when he was packing his bag for school the third time that week. 

He wondered downstairs, he felt a heaviness in his back and painful jabs hit his stomach. He had eaten an apple the day before, and nothing the day before that so he was light on his feet. Phil had been making him breakfast every morning but Tommy couldn't bring himself to eat anything. The first one he threw away, the second he gave to one of Tubbos friends he now remembered the name of _'_ _Ramboo, the tall motherfucker'_

When he sat at the table this morning Phil wasn't downstairs yet, he had stayed up working late yesterday so he presumed that was it. He found a yellow square piece of paper that stuck out on the clean surface of the counter. It read, in dark blue messy text,

"made you all breakfast burritos, they're in the fridge!" And signed _-dad_ at the end. _'Dad? That's new'_ Tommy thought as he left the note where he saw it first, untouched for the next person to find it. He went to making himself a coffee, noises of the low rumbling of the boiling water and warmth of the flame beneath it Tommy ignored.

Not so soon after, a second person was looking at the same brightly coloured square. Wilbur was up and rummaging through the fridge, reaching for the food covered in the silver tin foil "want a buritto Tommy?" He asked not looking at him. 

"Nah, I'm good" Tommy reached for a mug on the high shelf, it was a plain white with an avengers logo in it. Stretching his hand and standing on his toes, he could still barely graze the cup.

"Need help shorty?" Wilbur asked already reaching for the said cup, for a second his palm reached Tommy's exposed wrist and Tommy quickly retreaded it, pushing the sleeves of a gray sweatshirt down to his fingertips.

"I am not short, you are just freakishly tall" he muttered, voice scratchy from sleep.

Wilbur gave him a weird look because of the sudden motion, but didn't say anything. He passed him the mug "here"

Tommy took it hesitantly from his hands "thanks" he began pouring the dark brown liguid untill three quarters of the cup were full, and he filled the rest with milk.

  
"Where's that pink haired brother of yours?" Tommy asked noticing the lack of people in the room.

  
Wilbur turned around with a plate and a buritto in hand and began walking to the living room, and Tommy followed. "He doesn't have first two periods today, lucky bastard" Wilbur said turning on the TV.

Tommy was holding a cup, with both hands catching the warmth it admitted, he was always cold, cold hands, cold feet, cold everything. A little bit of warmth it gave him made him feel grounded and alert. He looked at the big round clock that hang on the wall above Wilburs head, it read

_07:23_

"Hey shouldn't we get going to school?" Tommy asked, sitting in the armchair closest to the hallway.

Wilbur waved him off "yeah yeah, let me just finish the episode" he said looking at some random cartoon playing on the TV.

Tommy nodded at him, the action going unnoticed from the other.

—

It was 08:13 and class started in two minutes, and they were fucking late. It was them two running from the bus stop to the school. Tommy may have been faster but Wilbur had longer legs, by the time they spilt off and rushed into class they were both red and out of breath.

Tommy plopped down into the seat next to Tubbo "Morning" he said when Tommy put his head on to the desk, breathing heavy breaths.

"You... okay?" He asked putting his head on the table as well trying to look at Tommy's face.

"I- I- just" he took a few more breaths, and then coughed "-ran, I ran here-" he had stopped a few times during that sentence.

"Want water?" Brunette boy asked.

Tommy still heaved, he had no food in his system, he didn't get any rest, nightmares haunting his dreams and he had yet to drink water today, so he could check the dehydration box in his notes to top it all off "yes please" he said making grabby hands at the other.

Tubbo headed him his clear plastic, gray water bottle and Tommy chugged it so fast a few drops escaped the edges of his mouth. When the bottle was half empty he stopped. He could feel the liquid moving in his stomach, churning and splashing. He felt nauseous when he sat down the bottle on the desk, still feeling thirsty. Then he saw that more than half of the bottle was empty he looked at Tubbo with apologetic eyes "I'm sorry, I drank all of yer' water"

"It's okay don't worry!" Tubbo whispered, the class has already started at that point and the teacher gave them the task of each studying quietly on their own.

"No, I'll just go and fill it now" Tommy said raising a hand and asking to be excused.

He was in the bathroom, and he was still thirsty and hungry. To stop the hunger he always drank water, and like an idiot he drank some more from the water bottle.

Then, rushed to a bathroom stall to puke. Even if he had nothing except liquid.

His stomach contorted and caused the boy to whimper in pain, as brown liquid came out of his mouth. Leaving an acidic taste in his mouth. He stood there with his hands against the dirty white porcelain until there was nothing left. He dry heaved a few more times and flushed "fucking hell" he said quietly, throat scratchy.

Then a stall beside him flushed, and the beanie headed boy come out. "Tommy?"

Tommy had walked to the sinks and was splashing his face with cold water. And drinking some spitting it out, to wash out the the taste of bile. Ends of his cotton sweatshirt sleeves becoming a wet, darker gray.

Tommy finnaly looked at the mirror, reflection of Quackity looking back to him "hi" he said, washing his face once more.

"Hey? You okay man?" He said stepping closer to him.

Tommy turned, his back to the mirror, looking directly at him _'has he been here the whole time? Think fast, uh- play dumb, yeah let's try that'_ he thought "What are you talking about Big Q?" He said wiping his mouth.

"I'm talking about how you were throwing up your guts seconds before" he looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh that, I think I ate something bad for breakfast" he said chuckling awkwardly.

"You sure your fine man? I could bring you to the nurse?" Quackity asked taking a step forward.

Tommy took a step backward and looked around for some kind of escape, he saw the bottle grabbing it and remembering why he came here in the first place "No, no, i already feel better amigo, besides I have to bring Tubbo his water bottle back" he turned around once again and began filling the bottle.

  
"Whatever you say then..." The other boy washed his hands and stepped out.

  
And with that Tommy returned to his classroom as well.

—

Quackity came back to his classroom. He had maths with Sapnap that period, in the back of his mind he was still worried about his new friend. 

When lunch came he sat down at his usual table with the rest of the Sleepy gang. He had been unusually quiet, eating what they were having for lunch that day slower than usual. 

Sapnap noticed this and asked "hey, what's the matter, you don't like the tacos?" Seeing that he had barely touched his food.

  
"I mean yeah, they're kind of shitty but that isn't it?" Quackity sighed.

  
"What is it then mate?" Wilbur asked curious about what made Quackity loose his appetite.

  
"Well I met this new friend, and first period I was going to take a shit-" he was interrupted by Minx

  
"-gross dude, we're eating here" she yelled.

  
Quackity ignored her and continued "-and I heard someone throwing up in the stall next to me and I saw Tommy there with his head in the toilet bowl" he sighed

"He said he ate something bad but he didn't go see the nurse and I'm just a little worried about him, food poisoning is rough, wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy" he continued.

"Wait, wait, wait, did you say Tommy? Tommy with the blond hair Tommy?" Wilbur asked making hand gestures. Schlatt looked at him worried.

"Yeah, you know him?" Quackity asked, surprised, he had not been there when they introduced Tommy.

"He's um, he's my new foster brother" Wilbur said worried Tommy had not eaten anything that morning or the evening before, he couldn't think of what made him throw up. He was in bad shape weight-wise when he saw him the weekend prior, so this couldn't be good for him.

"I'll-" he said standing up "I'll be back in a minute" he walked off spotting a blond patch of hair in the crowd.

  
—

  
The rest of the classes passed by quickly he and Tubbo had almost every class together that day. And lunch came sooner that later.

And together they walked to the cafeteria, Tommy this time stood in the line with Tubbo. He only took a zero sugar cola, as he learned that school lunches were pre payed by Phil.

He sat down with Tubbo, Ramboo and Alyssa and her friend Puffy. Jack and Purpled needing to leave to do something for their club.

Speaking of, Tommy joined the Informatics and coding club slash class, they had two classes a week, on Fridays, sadly, but still, it wasn't like Tommy had anyone to hang out with that day.

He drank his sugary soda, from which he didn't feel sick _'thank god'_ and stole a few fries off of Tubbos plate. He saw a shadow hanging over him, when he turned he saw that it was Wilbur. Looking worried but at the same time pissed.

  
"Hey Will!" 

  
"Hey Tubbo" he said glaring at Tommy, as if expecting him to say something.

  
Tommy was looking lost, confused at the sudden interruption. "What?" He asked looking him in the eye.

  
Wilbur wrapped his hand around Tommy's wrist pulling him "come on I have to talk with you"

  
Tommy tried to pull his hand away, failing "about what?" He said accusingly.

  
Wilbur looked at the table, all of them looking at the two, he decided his next words carefully "Phil called about schools paperwork, you have to fill something out, come on now" he lied smoothly

Tommy thought Phil had already settled his school stuff "okay" he said. Following quickly after The other tightened his hold on the other.

"I'll be back in a minute okay tubbo?" He yelled walking away.

—

"I thought Phil said he sorted everything with paperwork?" He questioned turning his head slightly.

  
They were by some lockers outside of cafeteria, Wilbur still somewhat glared at him. "This isn't about school" he held his wrist as if thinking he was going to run away.

  
"What the fuck is it about then" Tommy wasn't happy to be dragged away from his friends. "Also do you mind" he shook the hand being held.

  
"I do actually" Wilbur want letting go. "I heard from Quackity that you threw up this morning, what was that about" he asked interrogating the smaller.

  
Tommy looked to the side "I think I ate something bad for breakfast" he tried to make some space between the two, his heartbeat quickening.

  
"But you didn't eat anything for breakfast through" Wilbur was not letting him run away, stepping a bit closer.

  
"I, i think i have a stomach bug or something" he was sweating and stumbling over his words, looking fanatically anywhere but Wilbur. 

Wilbur seemed to notice this and let his hand go, stepping back "okay, here then" he handed him a breakfast buritto and an apple. "I saw you didn't take anything in the cafeteria so I got this for you" 

Tommy started fidgeting with his fingers, scratching at the dry skin near his fingertips "you uh- you didn't have to" 

  
Wilbur frowned and showed the items in his hands "eat it" he said tone threatening "or I'm telling Phil you threw up" he said and then walked away.

  
Tommy came back to his table with items in hand, others asking what was the matter "oh it's nothing guys, he was just assigned as my guide" and they seemed satisfied with that answer.

"Off topic, he gave me a buritto anyone want it?"

"You're not gonna eat it?" Tubbo asked

"I have an apple, the best fruit to exist! Superior to all the others!" he held the green apple above his head, like you would when you found an item in game.

"Don't mind me" Jack said reaching for the buritto.

  
Tubbo looked at Tommy and then whispered "Wilbur isn't your guide is he?"

"Haha why would you say that Tubbs?" He said taking a bite out of his apple, noticing Wilbur staring from the other side of the room.

"Because if he was then you wouldn't have been lost the first day of school" Tubbo said.

"Well, he's a shit guide, what can I say?"  
Tommy tried again, he wasn't a big fan of people knowing that he was in the foster system. When some kids found out before they exploited the fact that everything could always be blamed on him.

But Tubbo didn't seem the type to do that. When he saw the unamused expression his lie courses the other to have he spoke again "Okay, well that wasn't completely a lie, Wilbur was my guide, but not because the school assigned him to me but because his dad, Phil, is fostering me" he whispered to Tubbo, not wanting the others to hear.

  
"Oh, OH" Tubbo said, everything in his head clicked. Tommy's sudden transfer, the vagueness about where he came from and so on...

Wilburs friends already knew, but it wasn't by Tommy's choice "but please don't spread it around okay?" Tommy said voice pleading

"Don't worry, I won't." Tubbo smiled at him and Tommy smiled back. 

He continued eating his apple until he was sure Wilbur wasn't staring anymore. He drank the rest of his coke. And excused himself to Tubbo saying he was going to hurry to his next class.

  
"See you in front of the school yeah?" Tubbo called 

"Yeah see you"

  
—

  
Wilbur was texting Techno about what had happened. He had a separate lunch period from the two, and Wilbur envied him because he got to eat with Clay most of the days. On rare occasions he hand his gang ditched and ate with Wilbur but the accessions were rare.

**[The Blade]**

_Hey_   
_11:43_

_What's up_   
_11:46_

_So something happened_   
_with Tommy this morning_   
_11:46_

_Something good_   
_or something bad?_   
_11:47_

_Bad_   
_11:49_

_What happened, get to_   
_the point already_   
_11:49_

Wilbur explained him the situation that had unfolded and what he tried to do about it.

_I don't know what to do_   
_11:55_

_Do we tell Phil?_   
_11:55_

_No, he's already stressed_   
_enough with all that's going on_   
_12:00_

_I'll make sure he eats_   
_something when we get_   
_home_   
_12:01_

_I can make something!_   
_12:03_

_I don't know how to tell_   
_you this Will..._   
_12:03_

_What? Tell me what?!_   
_12:04_

_...but you're so_   
_shit at cooking_   
_12:04_

_Oh my god shut up_   
_12:05_

_You almost gave_   
_me a heart attack_   
_12:06_

_Gtg, teacher almost_   
_took my phone away_   
_12:07 Read_

  
  


—

The school day was coming to a close and Tommy was sitting on the pavement outside the school, smoking and waiting for Tubbos class to finish. Tommy's teacher let them go a little early as it was the last class and they were done with the lesson.

He checked the time on his phone _'any minute now'_ he thought. As if on que the school bell rang, and not five minutes after a happy Tubbo came out of the school yelling, "FREEDOM! AT LAST!" Tommy chuckled and extinguished the cigarette under his converse.

"So where's Karl" Tommy asked putting his hands in his jackets pockets

"Oh I forgot to tell you, his classes are our longer than ours today so he's gonna meet us back at my place" Tubbo said "so let's go yeah?" He started walking to the bus stop, Tommy following.

"So, where do you live Big guy?" Tommy asked running in front of his friend, walking backwards facing him excited. He was actually happy for once, he was going to a friend's house and God knows he hasn't done that in forever.

"Stoppp you're gonna fall Tommy" Tubbo laughed and walked across the street with Tommy now facing the correct direction, walking forwards and not backwards.

They went to the bus stop on the opposite side Tommy took yesterday to get back home, which meant Tubbo lived in the other direction from him. "-eh I don't live too far, it's a five to ten minute drive" he gestured.

They talked and a few minutes, as the bus came quickly they went in. Finding two empty seats next to one and another. Tubbo suddenly turned his head from the window and to Tommy "you smell like smoke." He said bluntly

  
"I uh-" Tommy was once again caught at the loss for words with the other boy.

  
"Do you smoke?" He asked before Tommy could muster a response.

"I do..." Tommy answered, he felt like a child being told off.

  
"You know that's bad for you, it worsens blood flow problems, and courses lung cancer and teeth rotting and respiratory problems and-" Tubbo ranted

"-You sound like those stupid pamphlets they used to give us in the elementary school" Tommy rolled his eyes.

  
"I'm just telling you it's bad for you, you shouldn't do it" Tubbo said.

"Okay mom" Tommy responded "I'm still gonna do it and you can't do Jack shit about it" he said, smirk on his face, and hands folded in a dramatic manner, he was doing a bit trying to make the situation lighter.

"Well don't go crying to me when you get lung cancer in thirty years" Tubbo responded.

"I don't think I'm gonna be here in thirty years for you to tell me off" Tommy said it in a joking tone. But that sentence definitely didn't sit right with Tubbo.

—

When they came to the house they were greeted by Tubbos mom and sister, they were both baking something in the kitchen.

Tommy introduced himself and after they both went to Tubbos room "I'm not bothering your family by being here right?" Tommy asked because of how some parents acted when their children had friends over.

"No, not at all, they're going to Lani's dance practice soon anyways, don't worry." He waved him off.

  
Tommy noticed a few bottles of the same orange soda next to the two monitor computer Tubbo seemed to have. Opposite it by the wall stood a black, plain looking synthesizer. It hadn't had a thick layer of dust like the piano at Phil's, meaning that it was somewhat played regularly or recently. He must've stared at it for a moment too long when Tubbo said.

"Do you play?" pointing an extended hand to the music instrument.

Tommy traces fingers over the dark plastic surface "I used to." He said and left it with that.

He turned around to look at the other boy. Expecting him to say something, but not saying anything himself.

  
"Okay... So anyways" he said searching for words. Sudden heaviness in the air.

"We um- got around an hour until Karl comes, want to play Mario cart until then?" Tubbo asked already getting the controller's.

  
"I've never played" Tommy answered shortly.

  
"It's really easy, you'll like it"

  
And before Tommy knew it an hour passed and he was screaming at Tubbo for sabotaging him with a banana peel, and making him steel off the track. The noise was interrupted by the doorbell.

"It must be Karl, let me shut this off" the boy exclaimed and they both went downstairs. The house was empty like Tubbo said it would be, Tommy noticed.

He opened the door and let in a brown haired boy wearing a big purple hoodie with teal sleeves and hood, it also had a teal sewn on spiral on the front of the thing. He wore plain black denim jeans and some retro purple Jordans. " 'eloo Tubbo" he looked at Tommy and extended his hand, "Hey I'm Karl"

Tommy shook his hand "Tommy" he said

  
"Tommy? As in Wilburs foster brother?" He asked surprised.

  
"Yeah, have we met before?" He let go of the hand shaking his.

  
"No, no, it's just that Wilbur was freaking out about you earlier today, you doing good?" Karl looked at him with his green gray eyes, from top to bottom.

  
 _'god how many people does Wilbur know, what the fuck'_ Tommy felt as if his every move was monitored "Ye-yeah I am" 

Tubbo looked at him, confused about the situation. Oblivious to what they were taking about.

"Well anyways, we better get to work now. The sooner we start the sooner we will finish!" He clapped his hands together.

"I'm going to go get my bag" Tommy said and rushed upstairs to retrieve it.

"Karl, what were you talking about just now?" Tubbo asked confused.

  
"Talking about what?" Karl already seemed to forget the conversation that happened a minute ago.

  
"About Tommy?" Tubbo asked again.

Karl thought about it, if Tommy didn't tell him he probably didn't want him to know, no need to tell him something that was supposedly personal.

"Oh, it's nothing important" Karl knew better than to share personal details, unlike his big mouthed friend Quackity

"Are you sur-" he didn't get to finish his sentence when the blond patch of hair was rushing back down the stairs.

"Alright, let's get on with this now ladies" Tommy said still somewhat ecstatic, oozing good energy from beating Tubbo in Mario cart that one round.

"Sure let's go to the dining room, the desk should be big enough there" Tubbo pointed them to the room on the left.

When they sat down Tommy took out his chemistry notes and books along with the 30 page nightmare they were about to face "holy shit" Karl said

"It's bad huh" Tommy looked at the pile

"Sure is, well let's distribute the work. How are you with chemistry?" Karl asked not knowing what he was working with.

"Not all that good my guy" Tommy said.

"Oh, okay okay let's see, we're going to work ten pages at the time" Karl took the pile sitting in front of Tommy making three piles of papers. "I'm going to solve the tasks of the first pile, showing you how to do the work. As I solve the first ten you're going to be copying it all down okay?" He asked.

"Okay" Tommy said opening his notebook.

"Then you're going to solve the next ten and write it down while me and Tubbo work on the last ten as those are the most difficult. After that you'll have most of it written and solved and we would be over okay?" Tubbo nodded

"So I'd have all 30 pages solved, 20 written down and 10 pages to write down at home so we'll be over quicker?" Tommy asked checking if he understood it correctly.

"Exactly" Karl said.

"Sounds like a plan, let's get to it then" Tommy clapped his ands and he shuffled his chair closer when Karl began solving and explaining the tasks. He was in the middle with both boys on either side listening closely.

It was a lot of text about the class and the topic they were studying and not that many of the tasks. So Tommy wrote the text down as Karl was reading it, tasks following.

They worked for about two hours and they were almost through 25 pages, Tommy still solving his part of 10 pages independently and Tubbo and Karl almost finishing the third pile of tasks. "My brain is rotting" Tommy sighed and slammed his head on the table. 

  
"Maybe it's time we take a break?" The older boy suggested, stretching his hands over his head.

Tommy muttered a tired _'_ _please'_ his head still on the table, and Tubbo stood up "anyone want coffee?" Tommy lifted his head finnaly and said a more enthusiastic _'please!'._

Tommy stood up about to follow Tubbo to the kitchen, he stood up too quickly and swayed a little, gripping his chair like his life depended on it. _'Low iron fucks ass'_ he put a hand over his eyes trying to rub away the dark spots. 

"You good?" He felt a hand on his back, a sound of Karl's voice near his ears.

He quickly shifted out of his touch, too fast it seemed as spots formed in his vision once again "Just fine Big K, just maybe personal space okay" he tried to make his tone light, taking a step back and away from Karl. The warm touch burned hot on his back, tickling away at his skin.

  
Karl didn't seem to mind the comment, he was told by friends before that he was a little more touchy than most people. Rarely anyone minded but if they did he tried to respect that. He made a note in his head for Tommy.

Tommy saw Karl staring, he didn't _owe_ him an explanation but seeing as he backed up and was not questioning him about it Tommy thought he'd be nice and five some sort of excuse "it's just' my blood pressure acting up" he waved him off and headed to the kitchen with Tubbo.

They drank their coffee and ate some biscuits Lori and Tubbos mom made, Tommy as well, he was surprisingly, actually hungry. And the food settled in his stomach with a warm feeling. 

—

Wilbur came home and was surprised to find the house empty, not a living soul. It wouldn't be weird if he came home last week to this, he was always the first one home, he and Techno had different schedules and Phil worked until late. But he didn't mind as he found comfort in the silence of the empty house. 

Or at least that's what he thought. With the younger moving in he saw that not one moment with him was filled with silence. Tommy was hesitant to start talking at first but when he started _'boy he didn't shut off did he'_ Wilbur thought.

But there he was, the house empty. _'Maybe he just has a longer schedule today'_ he didn't dwell much on it as he headed to the kitchen and grab a bottle of water from the fridge.

  
An hour passed and the front door opened "Tommy?" Wilbur yelled.

  
Pink locks of hair made themselves shown at the door of the living room "Do I look like Tommy." Technoblade gestured to himself.

  
"What would you do if I said yes?" Wilbur asked a shit eating grin on his face.

  
"Shut up before I obliterate you guitar boy" Techno said throwing one of his beanies at him.

  
Wilbur shut up after that and Techno continued to speak "So Tommy hadn't come home yet I could guess" he said in a questioning manner

  
"No, I don't know where he is" Wilbur started fidget, Phil was again working late and Tommy was no where to be found so his mind started wondering to not the best places.

"Well I'm sure he'll come home soon, let's make something to eat alright?" Techno went to the kitchen and started 

  
—

  
After an hour more they were finally done with all the pages and it's tasks. Tommy didn't want to leave yet and be back at that strange house which he couldn't yet call home _'couldn't yet'_ he surprised himself with that comment.

So he stayed, and Karl stayed, and they were having fun and playing Mario cart until the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky shined an azure blue colour Tommy never thought fit the space above their heads. It was beautiful because you didn't get to see it every day, that colour showed itself only when all the clouds had cleared in the sky and the temperature was one on the colder side. Tommy didn't know why it did, but it did, it was like a sunset for depressed people. An assuring blue as long as the eye can see.

  
He took the bus from Tubbos house to his neighbourhood. The bus was emptier and the streets it passed moved slower.

Tommy sent a quick text to Phil that he was on his way home as he exited onto the pavement. He looked at his wet shoes and then at the peaceful looking park. He finnaly got a chance to sit down in it and take a breather. A thick fog gathered in his head as he light up a smoke and stared at the dirt covered ground. 

Tommy liked being alone, but he also didn't. When he found people he could hang with he felt happy, or he pretended to be happy.

He always put on a front for people, and for himself, his usual act of confidence and dramatic endeavours. It was easy _'well not easy, easier was a better word'_ it made living easier, but problem with doing that was that when he laughed or smiled he couldn't tell if he was actually happy or just pretending. As the two seemed to have blended together, and he couldn't find where one ended and the other began.

 _'Is that normal? Do other people do that?'_ he found himself asking those questions to himself more than not. 

_'If you were to strip that act off me, what would be left? My skin? My bones? An empty shell?'_ his hands trembled from the cold _'or anxiety'_ he couldn't tell, and he got a strong urge to hurt himself. To punish himself for pretending for not succeeding, in what the didn't know, _'home, when I get home'_ he thought and got up.

  
So he got " _home_ " and he said hi to Phil, and he said hi to the brothers. And he ate dinner, and when they asked him how his day was he responded with a _'fine'_. And no body asked for him when he went upstairs, and he didn't say to no one when he took the blade in his hands and locked the bathroom door.

  
"Did he seem off to you?" Wilbur asked his older brother. 

Techno looked at him, shrugging. And they left it at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real life school started again no more online, which sucks for me but it's good for the story as I can give more vivid descriptions of the dread that is school lol.
> 
> Also thank you all for the kind comments I am doing better I love you all 😔❤️


	12. Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chill chapter, sorry for the wait

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the support and sorry for the wait, started using grammarly so there won't be any spelling mistakes from now on hopefully :D
> 
> <3

Tommy went to school in one of his moods. He called them gray moods, like when he gazed at the cloudy skies. He was sure he would see the blue sky again but he didn't know if he could make it through all the rain and all the storms to see it.

So now he felt numb. And if you asked him, numb was a good thing, better than feeling anxious at least.

The somewhat calming presence of Tubbo was nowhere to be seen as he was out of school. He said, over text, that he caught a cold. He presumed he wouldn't be going today as well. It was a Friday thank God, a two-day break from the mental institution some call school.

  
 _'Tubbo probably over exhausted himself Wednesday night'_ Tommy thought during lunch break, which he spent alone outside the back entrance of the school. Burning through his pack of cigarettes like a chimney.

That day when he came home from school the house was empty. Which he didn't mind but still found quite odd. He bent over to untie his shoe laces, as soon as he crunched down he hissed. The rough denim of his pants brushed the now exposed wounds on his thighs. The plasters must've peeled off or something because he could now see darker patches of wetness emerging to the surface of his bottoms.

The jeans were colored black so he didn't mind the stains, but what he did mind was a stinging pain in his legs and fear of infection. He rushed into the downstairs bathroom to re-apply plasters. No matter how much he liked to use his body like a cutting board and bring pain to himself, he didn't want to get an infection, _'again.'_

Infections, like most stuff in his life, he couldn't control, and he found that out the hard way.

Once, he ran away from the couple adopting him and ended up living on the streets. In hindsight, it was a dumb decision. No matter how much the fighting couple would bring him mental suffering with yelling sessions almost every day, no matter how much they neglected him besides those times, it was probably better than what he experienced as an 11-year-old in the streets.

Where he slept on a cardboard box on a filthy street and cut himself with a pencil sharpener from his book bag, where he cleaned his wounds with the same old bloody t-shirt every time.

It was not worth all the suffering he brought upon himself. And it was definitely not worth the blood poisoning he got from the infected wounds, which made him pass out in the middle of the street. A normal person would be grateful that they passed out on such a busy street where they brought him to the hospital right away, and back into the foster system. A normal person probably would be grateful.

But not Tommy. At that moment where he woke up on a clean sterile bed in the hospital, he cried. And he cried, and cried, and cursed God which decided he was not to die yet. He cursed God and himself all night, begging to be free of his suffering.

The wish was not granted. And when he tried to grant it himself they locked him in the hospital under suicide watch until he pretended like he wasn't going to split his wrists open the moment he got out. So they let him out, and into the new home.

Tommy shook his head from the memory, the long, thick risen line of scar tissue on his left wrist ached. He grabbed it and squeezed it, wishing the pain away. Tommy didn't believe in God after that, if he even existed at all he was one cruel bastard for giving him the life he has now.

  
He gave up trying to win his favor, and he gave up trying to end his suffering through means of suicide. _'At least for now'_

Some part of him really did want to live, just to spite those people who hated him and wanted him to die oh so much.

He was lost in his thoughts until the red liquid began to actively seep out of the fabric and taint his fingers red. When he took them off cleaned the scrambled mess of his thighs and put new plasters on. He even found a sterile gaze this time, which made dressing his wounds easier.

He then went upstairs to change into some not-bloody pair of pants and throw the jeans into washing. When he was done he went to lock his door and take a nap. He reached for the key to lock the door, Phil had given it to him the second day of his stay there whit a speech "I trust you to have this key and I trust you to trust us blah blah blah..." Whilst locking the door he thought about it a little.

Tommy had a lock on the door, and he had a key. And that didn't add up, usually, his foster room didn't have a key or there were... _two keys._

He thought as he unlocked the door and stepped out and went downstairs. In search of the second key.

_'As long as they had another key to his bedroom the lock by itself was useless.'_

He searched through tens of little cabinets and drawers in the main rooms on the first floor of the house. The bedrooms were next in line to be searched. He tried knobs in order. Technoblade's and Wilbur's rooms were locked _'No surprise there'_ , but Phil's bedroom was unlocked _'Now that's surprising'_ he thought as he entered.

Even if it wasn't unlocked Tommy was gonna come in one way or the other, this just made things easier.

He spotted a work table littered with papers and ink stains, and below it two cabinets "jackpot" he said out loud and went to work rummaging through them. The far bottom left drawer was locked. But Tommy took two of Technos hairpins _'from which I had to take out long pink strands of hair from ew'_ and went to work on the lock.

He sat cross-legged on the floor fiddling with the pins, it took about ten minutes and one broken pin to unlock it, the little locks were the most pain in the ass. But finally when the lock, and the drawer, submitted and opened he let out a small happy noise of triumph.

The drawer was full of notebooks, stamps, and what he was searching for _'keys'_. He found the key that looked identical to his own. He was about to reach for the notebooks and folded papers to see what they were about when he heard the front door opening.

His heartbeat quickened and he sprung to his feet. Quickly closing all the drawers and running out of the room. He was closing the door, his hand on the silver doorknob when a large figure appeared merging from the stairs.

"What are you doing?"

It was Technoblade approaching him, Tommy tried to seem casual "Oh hey Big T how's it going, didn't know you were home" he said putting on a big grin, hoping Techno couldn't hear the pounding in his chest, or the shaking of his hands.

"I am now, what are you doing at Phil's bedroom" he asked grimly, a frown on his face.

  
 _'think fast, think fast, think fast'_ he spoke "I was-" then coughed, hoping to stop his voice from quivering "-going to ask him if he has a charger I could borrow" _'idiot, idiot such a dumb lie, stupid'_

  
"He's not home yet" Techno crossed his arms and stood in his way of escape.

  
"Oh, he's not?" Tommy asked, gulping.

  
"No." Techno squinted his eyes and stared at the boy in front of him.

"Well then, I guess I'll ask him later then." Tommy maneuvered around the tall Pinkette and reared into his room "lovely talking to you, I'm gonna take a nap" he said and shut the door before the other could respond.

  
  


-

  
Tommy shut the door and slid down it, the trembling hand reaching for the pocket of his sweats to fish out the other key. Which, when he finally found it in himself to stand up, hid below the mattress. His chest burned and weight heavy even after stilling his breath to a normal rate.

In the next few hours the sun had set and he heard all the house's members coming home one by one. He just stayed in bed lying on his side, staring at his phone but not really processing anything.

Every time steps were heard outside his door he froze up, he locked it he was sure but his heart still went to his throat non the less.

At some point, he didn't know when he situated himself under his desk, in a space covered by the closet, making a small dark corner in which to hide. If you entered the room, at first sight you couldn't see him. Only on closer inspection you could catch sight of a small balled-up boy hiding under there.

He was smoking a cigarette and flicking off the ash into a half-full glass of water by his side. His knees were drawn up to his chest, his head laying limply on them.

The blond heard another pair of approaching footsteps at his door, and then a knock. He didn't flinch and drop his burning stick of nicotine on his leg this time, he stayed absolutely still when the familiar voice echoed through the room.

"Hey Tommy, dinners ready" Phil called out.

Tommy stayed quiet, the only sound being his heart and the sizzling of the cigarette being dropped into the water.

"Tommy?" Phil tried coming in but the lock stopped him. "I-uh, I'm going to leave your plate on the counter okay?" And then he walked off.

Tommy wasn't in the mood to talk or eat for that matter right now. He moved to the window to let some air in, his eyes began to inch and turn red from the smoke. He once again swung his legs across the building and lit up another one, he inhaled it wrong and his throat was already sore from the small cold he developing and abusing his lungs with the nicotine substance.

So he coughed and tasted blood on his tongue, but he didn't mind it so much it was only the sign of a sore throat.

He could practically feel his tongue scraping against the back of his throat.

He could feel the cold air running fingers through his blond locks, and the chill running down his exposed arms. Tommy could hear the chatter coming from the downstairs dining table, the loud talking of the second eldest, and the grim voice of the oldest adding snarky remarks.

It was only when he heard the chatter quiet and footsteps coming back upstairs that he shut the window and returned to his place underneath the desk. The sounds of doors shutting the next room over he didn't pay much attention to.

In contrast to the cold weather, his head was hot and the chattered skin on his hands and fingers burned. He shuffled himself closer to the cold wall, resting his boiling forehead on it.

And he slowed his breathing and enjoyed the silence surrounding him. Or he thought.

After not 3 minutes of silence he heard a murmur. A sound, accompanied by a quiet melody.

He couldn't put a name on the voice right away, his head was filled with mist and it was hard to see. Upon listening to the voice a few more moments he could put a name on it.

_'Wilbur'_

His voice was smooth and not as deep as some residents of the household, and had a noticeable, distinct, British accent in his speech. And was accompanied with gentle strums of some kind of a guitar.

Tommy didn't know Wilbur knew how to play, much less how to sing. The static in his ears was overshadowed by the melody.

He heard Wilbur tuning in the guitar, and after few moments start to resume playing the song of the melody. The song started with the switching of the strings and repeating the same strumming pattern, the curly-haired demon Tommy knew as Wilbur soon started singing.

_"You know it takes a lot to move me_   
_So if you figure it out_   
_Tell me~"_

  
The soothing voice overfilled the static in his ears completely, leaving only the words to echo through.

_"I'll trace figures on your smile lines_   
_Work out formulae to cure me_   
_And I'm lonely~"_

  
It was weird hearing such words come out of the other's mouth, as Tommy only known him as a lively lanky character who made his days here only a little bit more difficult.

_"Nine million people_   
_I always seem to add them up_   
_I could go away~"_

Tommy started humming along, what he could hum along through his stuffy nose at least.

  
_"I could pack my things and be gone before you wake~"_

Memories of late nights and early mornings where his skin was the same color of the rising sun sky. Memories of his sprained ankles jumping out of the window and landing on muddy ground. Tommy stopped humming, eyes wide and staring at the wall in front of him.

  
_"You know I've tried hard to love me too_   
_It always seems to fall in, through~"_

_'i've tried hard to love me too'_

-a lump formed in his throat, but Wilbur kept strumming.

_"Maybe one day I'll live in La Jolla~_   
_Drinking cocktails out over the water_   
_My own personal sunset~"_

_"To give each day its own diploma_   
_But you know it's funny?~"_

Tommy didn't find this song the least bit funny. He found it especially sad, knowing that Wilbur, too, came from the foster system.

  
_"In midnight backseat taxi jaunts_   
_I'm trying to ignore the skyline_   
_So I don't figure out where you-"_

  
And then he stopped singing with ragged breath and soft melodies continuing. Tommy listened and waited for the rest, but the rest didn't come. The song sounded almost unfinished, the unfinished symphony the boy thought of, a title that suited it well.

Once the strumming of the _'acoustic?'_ guitar vanished Tommy lifted his cramped feet from the ground and walked, or more stumbled, to his bed. Hearing not whatever song Will was playing next.

He threw himself on the bed. With eyes heavy, he tried to swallow the rock that formed itself in his throat, unbeknownst to why.

The feeling of wanting to cry formed itself stronger than before. But non the less only a tear dropped down his cheek and onto the blue sheets before the tired blue-eyed teen fell asleep.

  
-

  
Techno changed and came about to the living room, he wasn't the first one home as he thought. He found his interaction with Tommy weird, but then again he found most of the interactions with the younger weird. 

Tommy wasn't someone Phil had taken in on a whim. Techno knew that he was looking in to foster another kid months before the blond arrived at their household. Other than having a spare bedroom Techno didn't know the reasons for fostering, much less adopting another child. 

He thought their family was perfect as it is. One single father, who worked a little too much for his liking, but knew he loved them to bits. And one younger brother for who he was sure would be the end of him, but still found his presence comforting. And with him as the oldest child, the family was whole, he didn't mind that he didn't have a mother, as longs as he had the other two. That was enough for him.

So why Tommy, did they really need the loud, annoying, child with a nicotine addiction? He couldn't find a reason for another family member, much less why that member couldn't have been a dog, or a cat, and not someone along the lines of Tommy. The two were polar opposites in everything from personality to look. Thoughts of 

_'Weren't Will and I enough for Phil?'_

and, _'Wasn't I enough for him, for them?'_

and most importantly _'Am I not enough?'_

He was too lost in thought to hear the door opening and the tall figure appearing. A hand was thrown around his shoulders and he was snapped out of it. 

"Ayup mate," the person said   
"What you do staring at the turned-off telly like that?" 

Techno looked to his surroundings and found himself holding a remote and staring at the black, dead screen. Then he looked over his shoulder and found his brother looking back at him, a faint smell of smoke and coffee coming from him. 

Techno didn't particularly like that his brother was smoking, but if it made him calm down when he needed he couldn't do anything about him. He wasn't going to tell Phil like he wanted to the first time he caught him doing it as it would ruin the trust established between them. 

"No reason" he shook him off his back "you smell like smoke" Techno continued.

Wilbur grabbed a handful of his sweater and brought it to his face "I do?" he questioned.

"Nice to know that not only your sense of taste is fucked but your sense of smell is too" Techno laughed when the other flipped him off.

Wilbur turned around and started taking his black coat off "Dad home?" he questioned and walked around to the hanger in the hall.

"No, just Tommy and me" Techno huffed, turning on the tv.

Wilbur peered his head into the kitchen and then back to the living room "Where is the little gremlin?" 

"Napping or something," Techno said putting on the Doctor Who episode which was running on one of the channels.

"I didn't see him almost at all last two days" Wilbur hummed and plopped down on the sofa next to Techno.

"Who knows, maybe he's on his period or something," Techno remarked, and Wilbur laughed

"Don't tell me we'll have to lure him out of the room with promises of chocolates and foot massages" Wilbur added to the bit.

"God I hope not." The pink-haired teen said shockingly "but all jokes aside he did act a bit weird when I saw him earlier."

"Weird how?" 

"He was standing in front of dad's room and when I asked him what he was doing there he made put on this big smile and said that he was looking for a charger" Techno gestured with his hands. "And when I said that Phil wasn't home he fled to his room."

Wilbur's face pulled into a slight frown, remembering past experiences with fosters "You're right that is weird" he sighed and rubbed his eyes "We'll talk to Phil about it when he comes home okay?" 

"M-kay" Techno said, arms crossed and eyes glued to the screen.

Wilbur then stretched his legs, like an ostrich would, and threw his hands in the air hearing his back pop. And then got up with a huff "Imma go shower then" and with that left the room.

  
-

  
When he came out of the shower, fully clothed in his gray jumper and sweats, Phil was home and dinner was almost ready. He passed Tommy's room, it was just as quiet as it was an hour ago when he came upstairs. He rubbed clean his glasses with whom, he replaced the scratchy lenses he had been wearing the whole day. Ans then descended down the stairs.

A wonderful smell of fish and chips Phil made every Friday filled his nostrils. And he almost began drooling right then and there "'Eloo" he said to the older man, looking over his shoulder.

"Hi Will, how was school mate?" Phil questioned his son.

"It was alright, I got an A from my geography essay on _Principality of Sealand_ and a B from maths test" Wilbur took out the plates and began to set the table.

"That's wonderful Will, good job!" Phil said "Well dinner's almost ready, I'm going to go get Tommy" 

"I think he's asleep," Wilbur told him

"I'm going to go check anyway, you call your brother alright?" Phil said and went to the second floor.

-

  
"He's asleep" Phil said sitting down at the table.

"Told ya" Will replied to his father, and began to put fish, salad, and fries on his plate.

Phil took the plate that was supposed to be Tommy's and put a portion of the food on it, for when he woke up. And when he finished wrapping it in the see-through plastic wrap he began putting his ow share and chatting with the boys.

Techno liked the atmosphere, Phil being home and talking with them. In the last week, the only things he was focusing on were work and Tommy. Now, Technoblade wouldn't say that he was jealous, not at all.

_An obvious lie if you asked Wilbur,_

But he was glad that he had some of the man's attention to himself. He liked spending time with his dad and he didn't want things to change, not one bit. So he savored the moment spent with his family, they could talk about the gremlin child tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello dear readers, I wanted to say, I know most of the people reading this fic (fics like this) are often the ones dealing with: self harm, depression and suicidal thoughts and read the fics like a coping mechanism. I started writing to express those thoughts and cope in a better way. With this work i do not mean to glorify the unhealthy coping mechanisms, rather to try to deal with them and write characters who overcome them. I'm really sorry if you're dealing with some of the mentioned themes and hope you seek professional help, and if not i hope that this fic brings you at least a little bit of comfort.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't grow up in the foster system nor do I know anyone who did. I did a little bit of research so this actually looks like something. Also english isn't my first language so if you see any spelling mistakes don't hesitate to tell me, I'd appreciate it! 🥰


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